Midwestern

American  

[mid-wes-tern] / ˌmɪdˈwɛs tərn /

Rarely Middle Western

adjective

1. of or relating to the Midwest.

---

midwestern British  

/ ˈmɪdˈwɛstən /

adjective

1. of or relating to the Midwest of the US or its inhabitants

---

Usage

What does Midwestern mean? Midwestern is an adjective used to describe the region known as the Midwest—the northern central area of the mainland United States. Generally, the boundaries of the Midwestern region 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 Midwestern. Sometimes, states on the fringes, such as Ohio or North Dakota, aren’t considered to be a part of the Midwest. The word Midwestern is commonly used to describe the region and states in that region, but it can also describe the people who live there or things about them, as in Midwestern values. A person from the Midwest can be called a Midwesterner. Example: I always love to travel to the central United States to see the beautiful scenery of the Midwestern states.

Etymology

Origin of Midwestern

An Americanism first recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

I’m just a Midwestern girl transplanted to California.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

It sounds slightly Midwestern aunt, but trust me.

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2026

But the visitors who go to Butterworth’s looking for something exotic are not just Midwestern tourists out for pork cheeks or dry-aged duck breast to sample on a patriotic vacation.

From Slate • Mar. 10, 2026

Immigration operations in the Midwestern state of Minnesota spawned the biggest crisis during her stint.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

“One Midwestern and one New York journalist coming to Biafra, and we’re both named Charles. What were the odds?” the plump one said, laughing, after they introduced themselves.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie