bellwether state
A state of the United States that historically votes for the winning candidate in a given election.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“This state is a famous bellwether state in national elections.”
“Our region is no longer a bellwether state after the recent population shift.”
“Political analysts watch the results in this bellwether state closely because they often predict the winner of the entire election.”
“Campaign managers spend most of their advertising budget in this bellwether state to see if their message resonates with the general public.”
“Even though the local economy is struggling, the bellwether state still voted for the incumbent just like the rest of the country did.”
“Because the demographic composition of the region mirrors the national average, it has long served as a reliable bellwether state for presidential campaigns.”
From the compound of *bellwether* and *state*. The former term originates from the practice of placing a bell around the neck of a castrated ram, or wether, who would then lead the flock. By extension, the word denotes a lead sheep, and subsequently, a state that serves as an indicator of a national trend.
- 01
blue state
A state of the United States voting Democratic in a given election, or tending to vote Democratic in general.
- 02
green state
A U.S. state perceived as environmentally friendly.
- 03
in a real state
Synonym of in a right state.
- 04
in a right state
in a mess or in a state of chaos; very unkempt, in poor condition.
- 05
something is rotten in the state of Denmark
Something is not right, seriously amiss, especially when leading to suspicion of motive.
- 06
state of affairs
A specific situation; a set of circumstances.
- 07
yellow state
A state of the United States where the Libertarian Party is influential.
Last updated August 10, 2026