the Rustbelt
noun
: the northeastern and midwestern states of the U.S. in which many factories (such as steel mills) have closed because of changes in the economy
Examples of the Rustbelt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There are six states that have flipped between supporting and opposing Trump in his three races: Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin in the Rustbelt and Georgia, Arizona and Nevada in the Sunbelt.
—
Ronald Brownstein, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025
To participate in the Rustbelt Riders food composting site at City Hall, visit rustbeltriders.com.
—Carol Kovach, cleveland, 12 Sep. 2023
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.
Ronald Brownstein, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025
To participate in the Rustbelt Riders food composting site at City Hall, visit rustbeltriders.com.
—Carol Kovach, cleveland, 12 Sep. 2023
Cite this Entry
“The Rustbelt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20Rustbelt. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
