downstate

noun

down·​state ˈdau̇n-ˌstāt How to pronounce downstate (audio)
: the chiefly southerly sections of a state
also : the chiefly rural part of a state when the major metropolitan area is to the north
downstate adjective or adverb
downstater noun

Examples of downstate in a Sentence

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.
Finding their way to Chicago Ramsey describes their journey from West Virginia to Virginia, downstate Carbondale and finally Chicago as an escape. Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 20 Nov. 2024 The contenders in California’s Central Valley resemble those in downstate Illinois — a Republican from the more mainstream wing of the party with Trump’s endorsement trying to hold off a challenger running as an outsider. Nicholas Riccardi, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2024 Efforts to eliminate or consolidate units of government have largely failed for a century, thanks in part to politicians’ instinct for self preservation, but also a fear, particularly among many in rural downstate areas, of losing their civic identity. Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2024 Ironically, Leahy Scott originally hailed from downstate in Nassau County, Long Island, and earned both her bachelor and legal degrees from Hofstra University, a few miles from her home base in Levittown. Kenny Herzog, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for downstate 

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of downstate was in 1905

Dictionary Entries Near downstate

Cite this Entry

“Downstate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downstate. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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