heartland

noun

heart·​land ˈhärt-ˌland How to pronounce heartland (audio)
: a central area: such as
a
: a central land area (such as northern Eurasia) having strategic advantages
b
: the central geographical region of the U.S. in which mainstream or traditional values predominate
c
: a region where something (such as an industry or activity) most strongly thrives
the heartland of high technology

Examples of heartland in a Sentence

We drove into Scotland's heartland. a politician who is popular in the American heartland the heartland of high technology
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Trump might also be open to negotiating around Chinese investment into the American heartland to boost manufacturing capacity in non-national security sectors. Ryan Hass, Time, 25 Apr. 2025 The company is headquartered in America’s heartland – Sheffield, Iowa – and covers over one million square feet of office, manufacturing and warehouse space. Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025 One 2020 study showed that minorities, including Asian, Latino and Black people, generally enjoy higher real incomes and home ownership in Southern or some heartland cities than in the East or West coast metros. Joel Kotkin, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2025 Fain claims that 90,000 manufacturing facilities have closed in the United States since NAFTA was ratified, devastating the heartland. Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for heartland

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heartland was in 1903

Cite this Entry

“Heartland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartland. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

heartland

noun
heart·​land ˈhärt-ˌland How to pronounce heartland (audio)
: a central land area
especially : one of great economic and military importance

More from Merriam-Webster on heartland

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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