1
: situated toward or at the east
an east window
2
: coming from the east
an east wind
1
a
: the general direction of sunrise : the direction toward the right of one facing north
b
: the compass point directly opposite to west
2
East
a
: regions lying to the east of a specified or implied point of orientation
b
: regions having a culture derived from ancient non-European especially Asian areas
3
: the altar end of a church
4
often East
a
: the one of four positions at 90-degree intervals that lies to the east or at the right of a diagram
b
: a person (such as a bridge player) occupying this position in the course of a specified activity
Examples of east in a Sentence
Adjective
the east side of town
Noun
The city is framed by mountain ranges to the east and west.
The wind blew from the east.
This summer has been unusually hot in the East.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lautaro Grinspan, AJC.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Middle Island is 60 miles east of Grand Central Terminal.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 9 Feb. 2026
On Monday afternoons, Fred Zackery pulls a chair up to the microphone at a small AM radio station on the banks of the Coosa River in east Alabama and starts to share what’s on his mind.
—Margaret Kates, AJC.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Shane Hinton, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
The school — the district’s only campus east of Highway 101, in the county’s more disadvantaged area — reports a graduation rate close to 100%.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for east
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Adverb
Social Circle is located primarily in Walton County, about 50 miles east of Atlanta.
—Lautaro Grinspan, AJC.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Middle Island is 60 miles east of Grand Central Terminal.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
While the state’s current collectors operate over 2,113 collection points, they are heavily clustered near hubs like San Francisco and Los Angeles—leaving rural counties, like those in northern and east-central California, with subpar access.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 9 Feb. 2026
On Monday afternoons, Fred Zackery pulls a chair up to the microphone at a small AM radio station on the banks of the Coosa River in east Alabama and starts to share what’s on his mind.
—Margaret Kates, AJC.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
The wind is expected to shift from the northeast and east later Sunday, steering most smoke away from metro areas in Broward and Miami-Dade.
—Shane Hinton, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
The school — the district’s only campus east of Highway 101, in the county’s more disadvantaged area — reports a graduation rate close to 100%.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for east
Cite this Entry
“East.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/east. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
east
1 of 3 adverb
: to or toward the east
east
2 of 3 adjective1
: located toward or at the east
the east door of the school
2
: coming from the east
an east wind
east
3 of 3 noun1
a
: the general direction of sunrise
b
: the compass point directly opposite to west
2
capitalized
: regions or countries east of a specific place
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