rust belt

American  

noun

(sometimes initial capital letters)

1. the heavily industrial area of the northeastern U.S. containing the older industries and factories.

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rust belt British  

noun

1. an area where heavy industry is in decline, esp in the Midwest of the US

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Etymology

Origin of rust belt

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

The project, supported by Ohio taxpayers, was hailed as a step to reviving a battered Rust Belt region.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Lehigh Valley represents a rare Rust Belt success story.

From The Wall Street Journal

“It was very parochial in Philadelphia, part Rust Belt and part ‘Sopranos,’ ” Witte said.

From Los Angeles Times

He compared Lexington’s closing with the Rust Belt cities his family knew in Ohio.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sometimes they try to fake it by being a Rust Belt kind of fellow or a military man.

From Salon