westward

1 of 2

adverb or adjective

west·​ward ˈwes-twərd How to pronounce westward (audio)
: toward the west
westwards adverb

westward

2 of 2

noun

: westward direction or part
sail to the westward

Examples of westward 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.
Adverb or adjective
Fischer said Ernst’s movement westward is rare for great white sharks in the Gulf. Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 1 Feb. 2026 In the second, its westward lean could bring wintry weather, including more snow, to parts of the Northeast. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
At the beginning of the Iron Age, Phoenicians set out westwards, searching for valuable natural resources to be brought back and traded in the urbanized world of the eastern Mediterranean. Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026 As the comet neared its closest approach, its direction of origin would have meant that its motion in the sky began to accelerate eastwards, not westwards, fast enough to begin to counter Earth's rotation in the opposite direction. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 16 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for westward

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb Or Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1596, in the meaning defined above

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Westward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/westward. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

westward

1 of 2 adverb or adjective
west·​ward ˈwes-twərd How to pronounce westward (audio)
: toward the west
westwards adverb

westward

2 of 2 noun
: westward direction or part

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