17 Quirky Phrases You’ll Likely Hear Only in the Midwest

The Midwestern air practically sparkles. The dwellers in the Midwest are known to be the nicest people in America, hardworking and, of course, fantastic cooks. If you’ve ever been to the Midwest, you’ve probably noticed that Midwesterners are also known for some quirky phrases that you likely wouldn’t hear anywhere else in the United States.

The cheeky sayings are all part of the charm — and if you’re planning a trip to the Midwest, adding a few of these to your vocabulary will instantly make you sound like a local. From “schnookered” to “pop,” here are some of the most quirky phrases from the heartland of America.

“Pop”

If you’re hoping to enjoy an iced cold soft drink or soda while in the Midwest, you’ll want to make sure to order a pop. The term “pop” covers everything from Coca-Cola to Sprite. Think of it as a shorthand abbreviated term for the old-timey (and adorable) phrase “soda-pop.”

“Ope!”

The term “ope!” is more of a space filler than a saying. You’ll hear it all over the Midwest in pretty much any circumstance. It’s essentially a replacement for “oh” but can also be used as “whoops” or a softer alternative to “wow.”

“Clear across”

“Apparently the phrase ‘clear across’ isn’t widely used outside the Midwest,” said one Reddit user, adding that the phrase can be used to express something being relatively far away (as in a friend living clear across town).

“Anymore”

Another Reddit user pointed out that in the Midwest, it’s common to use the term “anymore” as a synonym for “these days”. Example: “I really like jogging for three miles anymore.”

“If I had my druthers…”

The term “if I had my druthers…” basically means “if I had my way” or “if it were me.” If you hear someone in the Midwest start a sentence like this, you can bet they’re about to tell you a story that centers around how they would do something better than the way it’s currently being done.

“Oh, for cute”

You can use this expression for pretty much anything — just replace “cute” with any other adjective. The saying is essentially a shortened version of “oh, for goodness sake, that’s so cute,” but can be used for any exclamation. Think: “Oh, for fun” or “Oh, for cool.”

“That makes as much sense as government cheese”

This saying reflects on the government-funded cheese program that provided processed cheese to those on welfare or social security in the 1960s. It was a blend of cheeses and ingredients that didn’t taste or look like the cheese you’d buy in the store. Therefore, something that “makes as much sense as government cheese” is essentially something that makes little sense at all.

“Hair binders”

The term for an elastic that ties your hair back varies greatly all over the country. If you’re from the Midwest, you probably refer to it as a “hair binder” whereas other parts of the U.S. might refer to it as a “hair tie,” “hair elastic,” or “scrunchie.”

“As slow as molasses in January…”

You might be thinking that “as slow as molasses” sounds like a Southern phrase — and it is. The Midwest adapted the phrase slightly, adding emphasis to the saying by adding “in January.” Molasses is already a slow drip, but frozen molasses? You can think of it as being slower than a snail’s pace.

“Tough tomatoes”

Midwesterners are known for being really nice, humble folk — and that often applies to their terminology as well. “Tough tomatoes” is a great example of that. The term is basically equal to saying “tough luck,” as in, that’s too bad for you, but a little more soft and whimsical than the rest of the country.

“Uff da!”

The term “uff da!” is another one of those filler words used to express surprise, overwhelm, or relief. It’s also considered a very mild curse word compared to the Yiddish phrase oy vey. The Scandinavian-American saying is also used for the name of the airport in Stoughton, Wisconsin (Uff-Da Airport) and there’s even a festival in Spring Grove, Minnesota called the Uffda Fest!

“Oh, for crying out loud…”

You might have heard this one before — but it’s very popular in the Midwest as a way to express being annoyed, appalled by something, or inconvenienced. You can think of it as a more appropriate alternative to “Oh, for Christ’s sake.”

“Knee-high by the Fourth of July”

“Knee-high by the Fourth of July” is a very cute old-timey phrase that essentially describes corn crops that are growing well. The term was originally used by corn farmers speaking of the success of their crops by Independence Day.

“Jeet?”

This term is another example of Midwesterners shortening sentences to get the point across. If someone in the Midwest says “jeet?” to you, they’re asking you whether or not you’ve eaten; whether you’re hungry or not. Yep — it’s shorthand for “Did you eat?”.

“Hot Dish”

The rest of the country refers to this kind of dish as a “casserole,” but if you’re bringing a warm one-pan meal to a dinner party in the Midwest, you’ll want to call it a “hot dish.” The hot dish can be any one-pan casserole-style meal, but typically includes a potato or pasta, frozen veggies, some kind of a protein, and a cream-of-style soup.

“Water bubbler”

Do you know the drinking water feature affixed to the wall? You might call it a water fountain or a water cooler — but in the Midwest, most people are going to refer to the drinking fountain as a “water bubbler” or simply as a “bubbler.”

“They’re schnookered…”

The term “schnookered” has a few uses — but it’s a pretty easy one to remember and understand. You might be called schnookered if you’ve had a few too many drinks and are acting a little drunk. The other meaning is essentially when you’ve been tricked or conned by someone into doing something you might not have otherwise done.