midwest

IPA/ˌmɪdˈwest/
KK[mˌɪdwˈɛst]IPA/ˌmɪdˈwest/

midwest — noun

1. the central northern part of the United States, a large area whose main states i

1.nounB1
Definition

the central northern part of the United States, a large area whose main states include Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin, known for its farmland, the Great Lakes, and major industrial cities such as Chicago and Detroit

Example

Theo moved to the Midwest after college to work for a farming company.

Winter temperatures in the Midwest can drop to minus thirty degrees Celsius.

collocation: in the Midwest

Common collocations
  • the Midwest
  • in the Midwest
  • from the Midwest
  • across the Midwest
  • the rural Midwest
  • the upper Midwest
Synonyms
  • the Middle West

    fuller historical name for the same region, less common in everyday speech

  • the Heartland

    more informal and emotional term, focusing on the region's agricultural identity

  • the Great Lakes region

    overlapping but narrower area around the five Great Lakes, not quite the same as the entire Midwest

Grammar Patterns

the Midwest

Midwest + noun

Usage Note

Almost always used with the definite article: the Midwest. The adjective form is Midwestern, as in Midwestern states or Midwestern cuisine.

Common Mistakes

I grew up in Midwest.
I grew up in the Midwest.
The region name requires the definite article 'the' when used as a location.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

The Midwest is the standard modern term for the north-central United States. The Middle West is an older, less common alternative that sounds dated to many Americans today. The Heartland is a more informal, emotive word that emphasizes farming communities and traditional values — it overlaps with the Midwest but can also refer to rural areas in other parts of the country. The Great Lakes region refers more narrowly to the states bordering Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, covering only part of what counts as the Midwest. For example, 'She grew up in the Midwest, in a small Illinois town' sounds neutral and clear, whereas 'She grew up in the Heartland' adds a sense of pride or nostalgia not present in the plain geographical term.

the Midwestthe Middle Westthe Heartlandthe Great Lakes region

Common collocations

Nouns

  • the American Midwest
  • the rural Midwest
  • the upper Midwest
  • the industrial Midwest

Phrases

  • Midwest region
  • Midwest states
  • Midwest farming
  • Midwest culture

Prepositions

  • in the Midwest
  • from the Midwest
  • across the Midwest
  • through the Midwest

Etymology

English

The word is a combination of mid- ('middle') and west ('western part of the United States'). It first appeared in the late 1800s as 'Middle West', referring to the area between the Eastern Seaboard and the Rocky Mountains. Over time the term shortened to 'Midwest', and the states within its boundaries became more clearly defined.