Midwest

American  

[mid-west] / ˈmɪdˈwɛst /

noun

1. the north-central region of the United States, especially the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

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adjective

1. Midwestern.

Midwest British  

/ ˈmɪdˈwɛst /

noun

1. the N central part of the US; the region consisting of the states from Ohio westwards that border on the Great Lakes, often extended to include the upper Mississippi and Missouri valleys

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Usage

What does Midwest mean? The Midwest is the northern central area of the mainland United States.Generally, the boundaries of the Midwest are Canada to the north, the Rocky Mountains to the west, the southern borders of Missouri and Kansas to the south, and the Allegheny Mountains to the east. Sometimes the Midwest is thought of as extending to the eastern border of Illinois or Ohio.The Midwest is one of the United States’ four official regions as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Because the Census Bureau doesn’t divide states when defining regions, it sets Ohio as the Midwest’s eastern border. According to the Census, 12 states are located within the Midwest: Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota.Americans themselves often differ in terms of which states they consider to be in the Midwest. Sometimes, states on the fringes, such as Ohio or North Dakota, aren’t considered to be a part of the Midwest.Adjective forms of Midwest include Midwestern and Middle Western, but Midwest can also be used as an adjective, as in Midwest states. A person from the Midwest can be called a Midwesterner. Much less commonly, it’s called the Middle West.Example: I always love to travel to the central United States to see the beautiful scenery of the Midwest.

Other Word Forms

• Midwesterner noun

Etymology

Origin of Midwest

First recorded in 1890–95; mid- + west

Example Sentences

When we began this column three years ago, we imagined we would move after a few years to the Midwest and a more-economical life there near family.

From The Wall Street Journal

Kareem Miller, owner of a small trucking company in Chicago, said his drivers are reporting big increases in diesel fuel costs throughout the Midwest, including Ohio and Illinois.

From The Wall Street Journal

In the Midwest, one company told the Chicago Fed that its customers can expect more tariff expenses to be passed along this year.

From The Wall Street Journal

Drivers from Serbia and parts of Eastern Europe form a significant part of the trucking industry in the Midwest, according to experts.

From The Wall Street Journal

Dutch Bros boosted its store count by 16% last year and plans to expand into the Midwest and Northeast, building market density.

From The Wall Street Journal