downstate
noun
down·state
ˈdau̇n-ˌstāt 
: the chiefly southerly sections of a state
also
: the chiefly rural part of a state when the major metropolitan area is to the north
Examples of downstate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bailey and other Republicans warned then that the law would end up exporting the violent crimes of Chicago to the suburbs and downstate.
—
Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Frustrated in downstate, but still rooting for the underdogs from gritty Buffalo.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2026
So there's money that goes downstate, there's money that comes up here.
—Rob Marciano, CBS News, 16 Jan. 2026
New Illinois believes an independent downstate Illinois could thrive economically.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downstate
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Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Frustrated in downstate, but still rooting for the underdogs from gritty Buffalo.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2026
So there's money that goes downstate, there's money that comes up here.
—Rob Marciano, CBS News, 16 Jan. 2026
New Illinois believes an independent downstate Illinois could thrive economically.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downstate
Cite this Entry
“Downstate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downstate. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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