75+ Popular Midwestern-isms (with Examples)

Ah, the Midwest, also known as America’s Heartland: it’s all cheese, miles of rolling cornfields, and lots of people who say “Ope!” (That’s Midwestern for “oops!”) Want to add a few more Midwest colloquialisms to your vocabulary? Well, bless your heart! Keep reading for our guide to popular Midwestern slang words and phrases, organized by subregion.

5 Quintessentially Midwestern Slang Words & Phrases

Ope!: something you exclaim when you’re surprised or make a mistake (similar to “oops!”)
Fixin’ to: “going to,” “getting around to,” “preparing to”
“Heavens to Betsy!”: an exclamation of surprise
“Gonna sneak by ya”: politely said while getting around someone who’s in your way
“Uff da!”: an exclamation of surprise or disgust

Section 1 of 7:

Popular Midwestern Slang Words & Phrases

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Add these words and phrases from the Heartland to your daily word bank. Want to make everyone think you’re a real Midwesterner? Of course you do! Just sprinkle a few “opes!” and “over yonders” into your vocab, start growing soybeans, and you’ll fit right in. Many of the following words and phrases originated in the Midwest—others may have started elsewhere, but are ubiquitous throughout the Heartland:
- Ope!: the Midwest catchphrase, an exclamation of surprise and/or apology, similar to “oops!”
  - “Ope! Didn’t see you there!”
- Fixin’ to: “going to,” “getting around to,” “preparing to”
  - “We’re fixin’ to get to Barb’s house around 7 tonight.”
- As all get-out: extremely ____
  - “That movie was as funny as all get-out!”
- Potluck: a meal or party at which every guest contributes a dish
  - “Are you bringing your bean casserole to the potluck tonight?”
- Cornhole: a lawn game in which players take turns tossing fabric bean bags at an inclined board with holes in it
  - “There’s going to be a rousing game of cornhole at the potluck today!”
- Cattywampus: crooked, askew
  - “You hung that painting sort of cattywampus.”
- Over yonder: over there
  - “Let’s ask that guy over yonder if he’s seen the dog.”
- Gussied up: dressed up
  - “Ooh, look who’s all gussied up for dinner tonight!”
- Tenna shoes: tennis shoes
  - “Go put your tenna shoes on so we can leave.”
- Hankering: a strong craving
  - “I’ve sure got a hankering for some taters right about now.”
- Full as a tick: very full after eating
  - “After that meal, I’m full as a tick!”
- Schnockered (also occasionally schnookered): drunk out of your mind
  - “He was completely schnockered at the party last night.”
- Tie one on: to drink a lot of alcohol
  - “I’ve been known to tie one on at the occasional wedding or birthday party.”
- Bubbler: a water fountain
  - “The bubbler isn’t working so you’ll have to get a drink somewhere else.”
- Pop: soda
  - “I could go for a refreshing pop right about now.”
- Cheese curds: breaded and deep fried pieces of curdled milk
  - “Could I get an order of cheese curds? Extra squeaky, please.”
- Taters: potatoes
  - “I’m thinking chicken and taters for dinner tonight. Sound good?”
- Puppy chow: also sometimes called “monkey munch,” “muddy buddies,” or “reindeer chow,” a dessert made of cereal (usually Chex), melted chocolate, peanut butter (or another nut butter), and powdered sugar
  - “How about a snack while we watch the movie? I’ve got puppy chow!”
- Like a bat out of hell: very quick
  - “She drove out of here like a bat out of hell!”
- Snug as a bug in a rug: very cozy
  - “I’ve got my tea and my blanket and my book—I’m snug as a bug in a rug!”
- Doesn’t know beans: is ignorant or stupid
  - “Giselle thinks Jen won’t pass chemistry but Giselle doesn’t know beans.”
- Puttin’ on the dog: dressing or behaving fancily
  - “Did you see Louise’s lipstick? Isn’t she puttin’ on the dog!”
- In two shakes of a lamb’s tail: very fast
  - “I know I’m late, but I promise I’ll be there in two shakes of a lamb’s tail!”
- “I better not keep ya”: a polite way to conclude a conversation
  - “Well, it’s been a fun 4 hours, Dory, but I better not keep ya.”
- “Bless your heart”: Used to express genuine sympathy or appreciation—or, more commonly, to condescendingly imply that you’ve said or done something that wasn’t very bright
  - “You’ve just moved to town, and you want to run for mayor? Aw, well, bless your heart.”
- “Gonna sneak by ya”: politely said while getting around someone who’s in your way
  - If someone’s standing in front of the coffee maker and isn’t taking a hint, you’d say, “Gonna sneak by ya” as you reach for a mug and pour yourself some coffee
- “Take a hike!”: “Get out of my sight!”
  - “You’re being so annoying right now.” “Oh yeah? Take a hike!”
- “Yeah, no”: “No”
  - “Did you like the book I lent you?” “Yeah, no.”
- “I’m not so sure”: “Absolutely not”
  - “Want to go to the movies this weekend?” “I’m not so sure….”
- “That’s different”: polite way to suggest you dislike something
  - “Did you see Marvin’s new haircut?” “Yeah…that’s different.”
- “It’s not my favorite”: another polite way to suggest you dislike something
  - “What do you think of the macaroni salad I made?” “It’s not my favorite.”
- “For cryin’ out loud!”: “For Pete’s sake!”
  - “Oh for cryin’ out loud, if you don’t want to go to the party, don’t go, but stop whining about it!”
- “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch”: “Don’t get ahead of yourself,” “Don’t make plans based on events that may not end up happening”
  - “I just started taking voice lessons, and I think I’m going to invest in some recording equipment and make a record!” “Whoa, don’t count your chickens before they hatch!”
- “Heavens to Betsy!”: an exclamation of surprise
  - “Heavens to Betsy! That car almost hit us!”
- “Jeez Louise!”: an expression of frustration or surprise
  - “Oh, jeez Louise, can’t you do anything right?”
- “That makes as much sense as government cheese”: “That is a truly horrible idea”
  - “You want to carry all those boxes all by yourself? That makes as much sense as government cheese.”
- “If I had my druthers…”: “If I had my way…”
  - “If I had my druthers, we would do away with this whole ‘daylight savings’ nonsense.”
- “I’ve got a bee in my bonnet”: “I am extremely upset!”
  - “Jack stood me up and now I’ve got a real bee in my bonnet.”
- “Cheese and rice!”: a more family-friendly substitute for “Jesus Christ” as an exclamation of frustration or surprise
  - “Oh, cheese and rice, the cat threw up again.”
- “She’s got the holler tail”: “She’s sick,” stemming from a folk belief that when a cow was sick, it had a hollow (“holler”) tail; the farmer would cut the tail open and fill it with salt or turpentine
  - “Mariah left work early today because she’s got the holler tail.”
- “Tough tomatoes!”: “Tough luck!”
  - “Hey, you grabbed the last cupcake! I didn’t get any!” “Tough tomatoes!”

Section 2 of 7:

East North Central Midwest Slang

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From Ohio’s buckeyes to Chicago’s dibs, these words are unique to this subregion of the Midwest. The East North Central subregion of the American Midwest includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Check out these fun hyperlocal terms:
- Buckeye (Ohio): peanut butter fudge balls dipped in chocolate to resemble a buckeye
  - “How about dessert? My mom made some buckeyes!”
- Jo-jos (Ohio): potato wedges
  - “I’m starved. Pass some of those jo-jos over here!”
- Carry-in (Ohio): a potluck^{[1]
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  - “We’re bringing buckeyes and jo-jos to the church carry-in Wednesday.”
- Hoosier (Indiana): a native of Indiana^{[2]
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  - “I tell you, I’m not an ‘Indianan,’ I’m a proud Hoosier.”
- Cheesehead (Wisconsin): a person from Wisconsin, especially a Packers fan (a reference to the foam cheese wedge-shaped hat worn by fans at Packers games)^{[3]
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  - “When the Packers scored a goal, all the cheeseheads went wild.”
- Sconnie (Wisconsin): a person from Wisconsin
  - “I’m a proud sconnie—Milwaukee born and raised!”
- Stop-and-go lights (Wisconsin): traffic lights
  - “You can’t just drive how you want, you have to obey the stop-and-go lights like a reasonable person!”
- Grabowski (Illinois): Chicagoese for a no-nonsense, hard-working, blue-collar person, a reference to former Chicago Bears running back Jim Grabowski, originating from Bears coach Mike Ditka's use of the term for players
  - “That grabowski never beats around the bush. He just tells it like it is.”
- Dese, dem, and dose (Illinois): Chicagoese stereotypical pronunciation of “these, them, and those,” associated with white ethnic Chicagoans
  - “Who are you talking about? Dose guys over there?”
- Dibs (Illinois): to claim a parking spot by marking it with an object (such as a chair or other household item)
  - “I called dibs on that spot! Didn’t you see the chair?”
- Frunchroom (Illinois): Chicagoese for the front room of a house or apartment, overlooking the street—usually used for special occasions
  - “We got company; let’s have dinner in the frunchroom.”

Section 3 of 7:

West North Central Midwest Slang

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Got a hankering for some runza? Not sure what we’re talking about? Keep reading! The West North Central subregion of the Midwest generally includes Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, and we’ve included some of the most popular West North Central slang below, dontcha know.
- Chislic (South Dakota): cubed meat
  - “We’re fixin’ to go to the South Dakota Chislic Festival again this July.”
- Wrassling: wrestling
  - “Were you girls wrassling outside again? You’re covered in dirt!”
- Plumb tuckered out: very tired
  - “After running the marathon, I was plumb tuckered out!”
- Runza (Nebraska): a pastry made of ground beef and cabbage
  - “Pass the runza! I skipped lunch today and now I’m starving!”
- “You betcha!”: versatile positive phrase used when you agree with someone, to say yes, or to say “You’re welcome”
  - “Thanks for the chislic! It’s delicious!” “You betcha!”
- “Dontcha know”: slang for “Don’t you know”—but used as a statement, not as a question
  - “It’s cold out, dontcha know.”

Section 4 of 7:

Upper Midwest Slang

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These slang words and phrases are classically Upper Midwestern, er no? The American Midwest isn’t just one static entity; rather, it’s an artful tapestry comprising several areas, each with their own unique culture. Check out these cool slang words that are particular to the Upper Midwest—that is, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan:
- Hotdish: a casserole
  - “Josephine, will you be bringing a hotdish to the potluck?”
- Blue moon ice cream: a mysterious ice cream flavor that originated in Michigan and has since spread throughout the Midwest (nobody knows what’s in it and every establishment has their own recipe, but it’s usually compared to Fruity Pebbles, marshmallows, or vanilla, and it’s always blue)
  - “On a hot summer day, I sure could use a scoop of blue moon. Let’s go to Moomer’s after dinner!”
- FIB (Wisconsin): an acronym for “F***g Illinois Bstards,” possibly stemming from Wisconsinites’ frustration with Illinoisan tourists^{[4]
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  - “These FIBs are taking up all the parking spaces!”
- TYME machine (Wisconsin): an automated teller machine^{[5]
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  - “Where in the heck can I find a TYME machine in this city?”
- Or no? (pronounced “er no?”) (Wisconsin): tacked onto the end of a sentence to offer someone the chance to decline—less a serious question and more just a habitual articulation^{[6]
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  - “Didja have fun at the game, er no?”
- Yooper (Michigan): someone from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
  - “That yooper is driving like a maniac!”
- Coney (Michigan): a type of hotdog or the diner that serves them
  - “How about coneys for lunch?”
- “Holy wah!” (Michigan): an exclamation of surprise
  - “Holy wah! Did you see how big that hawk was?”
- “Uff da!” (Minnesota): an exclamation of disgust or surprise
  - “Uff da, do you really need to add so much mayo to your egg salad?”

Section 5 of 7:

Lower Midwest Slang

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We’re officially in quakenado territory with these slang terms. We are in Kansas, Toto! The Lower Midwest subregion of the Midwest comprises Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Want to really feel like Dorothy? Try adding some of these slang words and phrases to your vocab today:
- Kybo: a port-a-potty, possibly an acronym for “Keep Your Bowels Open”
  - “I’ve really got to go! Is there a kybo anywhere around here?”
- “Shucky darn!”: “Oh, nuts!”
  - “We lost the hockey game! Shucky darn!”
- Quakenado (Oklahoma): an earthquake that occurs at the same time as a tornado
  - “When my leg starts aching, it’s a sure sign a quakenado’s coming.”
- Crick: a small stream or creek
  - “The bridge over the crick needs repaired.”
- Yallo (Missouri): Hello^{[7]
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  - “Yallo, y’all! What’s going on?”
- Mule (Missouri): a stubborn or hardworking person
  - “I told Jeff I’d help him fix the roof if he’d just wait, but he’s a mule.”

Section 6 of 7:

Great Plains Midwest Slang

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Try these slang terms and phrases to sound like you’re from the Great Plains. The Great Plains subregion of the Midwest is characterized by arid prairies and rolling grasslands, and generally comprises Kansas, Nebraska, and North and South Dakota.
- Caddy Corner: diagonal to
  - “The gas station is caddy corner to the library.”
- Sun shower: when it rains while the sun is shining
  - “We were blessed with a beautiful sun shower this afternoon.”
- “That’s nice” (Kansas): “I could not care less”
  - “I saw Todd out with Jackie last night! I didn’t even know they were dating.” “That’s nice.”
- Market rat (Nebraska): a kid who doesn’t belong to the in-crowd and lives on the fringes, originating from the 1990s when such kids would often hang out and smoke near the Old Market in Omaha^{[8]
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  - “You market rats better not get into any trouble!”
- Supper: dinner (used in more rural areas)
  - “Is it time for supper yet? I’m so hungry!”

Section 7 of 7:

What is the Midwestern region?

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What states are considered “Midwestern”? Let’s face it, the Midwest is more of an idea than a region. That said, according to the Census Bureau, the Midwest officially includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.^{[9]
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Research source} However, you’re likely to find some cultural and linguistic overlap with other states that touch on the Midwest.
- For instance, if you grew up in Western Pennsylvania, some of the sayings in this article might be familiar to you, and you might consider yourself an honorary Midwesterner (but you might get some pushback).
- Further, every state within the Midwestern region has its own particular culture and slang.
  - For example, the expression “Uff da” is common in the Upper Midwest, while folks in other regions of the Midwest might never have even heard this expression before in their life.
  - And Southern Ohio falls more into the Appalachian region than the Midwest, and so might have more Appalachian sensibilities.