1
a
: the general direction between south and west
b
: the point midway between the south and west compass points
2
Southwest
: regions or countries lying to the southwest of a specified or implied point of orientation
especially
: the southwestern part of the U.S.
1
: coming from the southwest
a southwest wind
2
: situated toward or at the southwest
the southwest corner
Examples of southwest in a Sentence
Adverb
It's about 80 miles southwest of here.
Noun
A mountain range is in the southwest of the country.
These plants grow in the Southwest.
Adjective
the southwest corner of the building
Recent Examples on the Web
Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 16 May 2026
The revelations shocked San Diego’s political leaders and Latino community and led to efforts to cancel events planned in his honor, as well as rename institutions and landmarks, including Cesar Chavez Parkway, which runs from Commercial Street heading southwest to Crosby Road.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
Arkansas Online, 16 May 2026
The 38-year-old man had been spearfishing with a friend when he was attacked on a coral reef off Rottnest Island near Australia’s southwest coast, Western Australia Police Sergeant Michael Wear said.
—ABC News, 16 May 2026
Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 18 May 2026
The highest fire risk Monday will be across the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles and into southwest Kansas, where extremely critical fire conditions are expected.
—Kathryn Prociv, NBC news, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for southwest
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Adverb
This shooting happened roughly five hours after the department said an officer shot and killed a man who reportedly pointed a firearm at officers responding to reports of gunfire along Wiman Drive, located in a neighborhood about 4 miles southwest of the scene along I-820.
—Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 16 May 2026
The revelations shocked San Diego’s political leaders and Latino community and led to efforts to cancel events planned in his honor, as well as rename institutions and landmarks, including Cesar Chavez Parkway, which runs from Commercial Street heading southwest to Crosby Road.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
Noun
Officials there have said that Iraqi army forces investigated reports of an unauthorized military force in the Nukhaib desert -- a barren area to the southwest of the cities of Karbala and Najaf -- in early March and came under fire while en route to the location.
—Arkansas Online, 16 May 2026
The 38-year-old man had been spearfishing with a friend when he was attacked on a coral reef off Rottnest Island near Australia’s southwest coast, Western Australia Police Sergeant Michael Wear said.
—ABC News, 16 May 2026
Adjective
Extreme fire weather danger Extreme fire weather danger is forecast for Monday from northeast New Mexico, across the Texas Panhandle and into southwest Kansas and Oklahoma.
—Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 18 May 2026
The highest fire risk Monday will be across the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles and into southwest Kansas, where extremely critical fire conditions are expected.
—Kathryn Prociv, NBC news, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for southwest
Cite this Entry
“Southwest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/southwest. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
southwest
1 of 3 adverb
south·west
sau̇th-ˈwest 
nautical sau̇-ˈwest
: to or toward the southwest
southwest
2 of 3 noun1
: the direction between south and west
2
capitalized
: regions or countries southwest of a point that is mentioned or understood
southwest
3 of 3 adjective1
: coming from the southwest
a southwest wind
2
: situated toward or at the southwest
the southwest corner
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