red state

American  

[red steyt] / ˈrɛd ˌsteɪt /

noun

U.S. Politics.

1. a state of the U.S. that usually votes Republican.

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Etymology

Origin of red state

With reference to the color used on maps in televised coverage of the 2000 U.S. presidential election to show the states won by the Republican candidate

Compare meaning

How does red-state compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• blue state vs. red state

Example Sentences

Under the crisp blue skies, one of the protesters, Drew Fausett, told The Times in a phone interview that he is a registered Republican in the decidedly red state.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

Dahlia Lithwick: This is a pretty bold ruling, coming from a court in an extremely red state.

From Slate • Jan. 10, 2026

One of the things that we have to acknowledge, too, is that although we haven’t had the traditionally red state join us, sometimes people come to meetings and just listen in and share ideas.

From Barron's • Oct. 18, 2025

In Oklahoma City, the heart of a red state, a 5-mile streetcar line opened downtown in 2018.

From Seattle Times • May 3, 2024

When I lived in a red state, divorce was really common.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2024