Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to the Midwest region of the United States: Pertaining to the geographic and cultural area generally comprising states such as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska, and sometimes including Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
   • Characteristic of the Midwest: Having qualities or features typical of this region, such as certain accents, values, or landscapes.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • She grew up in a midwestern town known for its farming community.
  • His friendly and straightforward manner is often described as midwestern hospitality.
  • The film captures the midwestern landscape of vast fields and small towns.

Advanced Usage

• "Midwestern values": Refers to cultural ideals often associated with the region, such as hard work, modesty, and community.

  • The candidate frequently spoke about his midwestern values of honesty and perseverance.

• "Midwestern sensibility": Denotes a particular practical, unpretentious, or down-to-earth attitude attributed to the region.

  • Her design philosophy reflects a midwestern sensibility, focusing on function and simplicity.

Variants and Related Words

• Midwest (noun): The region itself.

  • They took a road trip across the Midwest.

• Midwesterner (noun): A person who is from or lives in the Midwest.

  • As a lifelong Midwesterner, she was accustomed to harsh winters.

Synonyms

• Heartland: Often used to refer to the central region of the United States, emphasizing its agricultural and traditional importance.
• Central US: A more general geographic term.

Related Phrases

• "Midwestern nice": A cultural stereotype describing a polite, friendly, sometimes passive-aggressive social manner perceived as common in the Midwest.
  • Their conversation was full of midwestern nice, with lots of smiles but little direct disagreement.

Adjective

1. of a region of the United States generally including Ohio; Indiana; Illinois; Iowa; Missouri; Kansas; Nebraska; and sometimes Michigan; Wisconsin; Minnesota
   • a midwestern city
   • midwestern accent