variants
or sternwards
as in backward
near, toward, or in the stern of a ship or the tail of an aircraft
a flight attendant hurried sternward to attend to the disturbance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sternward
Adverb
-
At one point, NBC’s color commentator Cris Collinsworth openly wondered how many yards Walker had picked up after going backward.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026 -
In a 76-73 loss at Minnesota on Wednesday night, Fears swung his leg backward into Langston Reynolds’ groin area after the whistle when Reynolds was called for a foul on Fears.—
Larry Lage,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Ecologist Greta Wengert stared down the pockmarked hillside at a pile of pesticide sprayers left behind, long after the raid.—
Rachel Becker,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2026
-
The higher heating bills will likely leave more Americans behind on their utility bills.—
Tami Luhby,
CNN Money,
12 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
During the penalty phase, jurors also heard from a man named Hung Pham whom Simpson had beaten and shot in the face during a home invasion back in New Orleans.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
-
In his quest to become a better, stronger, more accomplished pitcher, Rockies Renaissance man Ryan Feltner is going back to the Stone Age.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
12 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Also of note is the Dusk Bar, which sits aft on Deck 10 and is stocked with interesting spirits.—
David Swanson,
Travel + Leisure,
27 May 2024
-
Open exterior decks forward and aft allow for a steady sea breeze, as the owner—who was last aboard his yacht in the summer of 2021—used to regularly enjoy.—
Julia Zaltzman,
Robb Report,
10 Feb. 2023
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.
Cite this Entry
“Sternward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sternward. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
