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.
Jones won a close battle with Avery Tibbs of downstate Washington and fellow DuPage Valley Conference foe Danyella Mporokoso of Waubonsie Valley to win the award, as voted on by coaches and media statewide. Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026 The three companies were selected by the state’s gambling commission in 2025 following a years-long process to award licenses to New York’s downstate region following an approved 2013 referendum. Ryan Anastasio,contessa Brewer, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026 The families of four children and a teenager killed in a crash when a woman drove into an after-school program in downstate Illinois have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver and the day camp. Victor Jacobo, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026 Frustrated in downstate, but still rooting for the underdogs from gritty Buffalo. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Downstate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downstate. Accessed 10 May. 2026.

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