1
: to, toward, or in the south
a house facing south
2
: into a state of decline or ruin
causes the sluggish economy to go south—
G. F. Will
G. F. Willsee also south of
1
: situated toward or at the south
the south entrance
2
: coming from the south
a south wind
1
a
: the direction of the south terrestrial pole : the direction to the right of one facing east
b
: the compass point directly opposite to north
2
capitalized
: regions or countries lying to the south of a specified or implied point of orientation
especially
: the southeastern part of the U.S.
3
: the right side of a church looking toward the altar from the nave
4
often capitalized
a
: the one of four positions at 90-degree intervals that lies to the south or at the bottom of a diagram
b
: a person (such as a bridge player) occupying this position in the course of a specified activity
specifically
: the declarer in bridge
5
often capitalized
: the developing nations of the world : third world sense 1 compare north sense 2b
Examples of south in a Sentence
Adverb
Turn south onto Elm Street.
It's a mile south of here.
The birds fly south in the winter.
The company's profits have gone south in recent months.
The TV show's ratings have been heading south.
Noun
The wind blew from the south.
The birds migrate from the South.
Parts of the South were hit hard by the storm.
I grew up in the South.
The American Civil War was between the North and the South.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kc Baker, People.com, 28 July 2025
But the Alaska Highway, the historic route built during World War II to link British Columbia to Alaska, skirts part of Kluane, as does the 44-mile Haines Highway, extending along the park south from Haines Junction, Yukon, to Haines, Alaska.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 July 2025
Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 July 2025
Chloe Ca Phe currently supplies small coffee shops in south Sacramento and a shop in Texas.
—Sacbee.com, 14 July 2025
Doyle Rice, USA Today, 29 July 2025
Lozano says the expansion of cancer care to the south is good news.
—Miami Herald, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for south
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adverb
She was last seen alive on Friday, June 26, 1981, while bicycling south on U.S. Highway 95 towards Lewiston, according to the FBI.
—Kc Baker, People.com, 28 July 2025
But the Alaska Highway, the historic route built during World War II to link British Columbia to Alaska, skirts part of Kluane, as does the 44-mile Haines Highway, extending along the park south from Haines Junction, Yukon, to Haines, Alaska.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 July 2025
Adjective
The eight-acre space in south Tehran is a striking reminder of a minority faith whose more than 1,000-year heritage in Iran dwarfs the comparably short 35 years of the Islamic republic.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 July 2025
Chloe Ca Phe currently supplies small coffee shops in south Sacramento and a shop in Texas.
—Sacbee.com, 14 July 2025
Noun
Tropical moisture will surge in from the south, providing ample moisture for persistent downpours to set up from portions of Tennessee into southern New England, according to Danco.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 29 July 2025
Lozano says the expansion of cancer care to the south is good news.
—Miami Herald, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for south
Cite this Entry
“South.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/south. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
south
1 of 3 adverb
: to or toward the south
south
2 of 3 adjective1
: situated toward or at the south
the south entrance
2
: coming from the south
a south wind
south
3 of 3 noun1
a
: the direction to the right of one facing east
b
: the compass point opposite to north
2
capitalized
: regions or countries south of a point that is mentioned or understood
especially
: the southeastern part of the U.S.
Biographical Definition
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