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.
These are the types of good paying jobs that sustain communities' jobs across America's heartland and the Trump administration is working hard to stop the cheating. Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025 After becoming fascinated with the criminal couple’s Depression-era story, Benton and Newman decamped to the heartland to interview people who knew them and get a sense of what the film might be. Tom Tapp, Deadline, 13 May 2025 President Donald Trump's aggressive trade policies have created uncertainty and opportunity across America's heartland as farmers and small business owners grapple with the effects of his administration's tariff decisions in his first 100 days. Doc Louallen, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2025 Crafted in the French fragrance heartland of Grasse, the three scents—île noire, ECCCO, and Dsire—have been two years in the works. Stephanie Hirschmiller, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 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 28 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!