southwestern

adjective

south·​west·​ern sau̇(th)-ˈwe-stərn How to pronounce southwestern (audio)
1
: lying toward or coming from the southwest
2
often Southwestern : of, relating to, or characteristic of a region conventionally designated Southwest
southwesternmost adjective

Examples of southwestern in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The basin is a long-standing industrial hub that grew around the 1951 discovery of a large, high-pressure sour natural gas field in southwestern France. Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 13 Feb. 2026 Snowpack in most of the Northern Hemisphere has shrunk significantly over the past 40 years due to climate change, according to a 2024 Nature study, which found the sharpest declines, between 10% to 20% a decade, in the Southwestern US and large parts of Europe. Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026 Conditions are most concerning across parts of southern and southwestern Colorado, where snowpack deficits are greatest. Joe Ruch, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026 The restaurant blends classic Italian dishes with Southwestern flair. Eddie Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 10 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for southwestern

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English sūth-westerne, from sūth south + westerne western

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of southwestern was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Southwestern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/southwestern. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

southwestern

adjective
south·​west·​ern sau̇(th)-ˈwes-tərn How to pronounce southwestern (audio)
1
: lying toward or coming from the southwest
2
often capitalized : of, relating to, or characteristic of the Southwest

More from Merriam-Webster on southwestern

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