east

1 of 3

adverb

: to, toward, or in the east

east

2 of 3

adjective

1
: situated toward or at the east
an east window
2
: coming from the east
an east wind

east

3 of 3

noun

1
a
: the general direction of sunrise : the direction toward the right of one facing north
b
: the compass point directly opposite to west
2
capitalized
a
: regions lying to the east of a specified or implied point of orientation
b
: regions having a culture derived from ancient non-European especially Asian areas
3
: the altar end of a church
4
often capitalized
a
: the one of four positions at 90-degree intervals that lies to the east or at the right of a diagram
b
: a person (such as a bridge player) occupying this position in the course of a specified activity

Example Sentences

Adjective the east side of town Noun The city is framed by mountain ranges to the east and west. The wind blew from the east. This summer has been unusually hot in the East.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
Read full article Unwilling to move east into Idaho, farther from her family, Cook, 52, now wonders if redrawing the state maps could instead bring Idaho’s values to her. Mike Baker, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Mar. 2023 The four-by-five-inch cylinder was discovered missing from a power plant in Prachin Buri, about 100 miles east of Bangkok, on March 10, CNN reported. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2023 The Museum of Democracy is scheduled to open to the public late next month at the Roosevelt House on the Long Island University Post campus in Brookville, New York, about 25 miles east of Manhattan. Gary Stoller, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023 Beginning in late February, rain turned to days of ceaseless snow that trapped residents in the San Bernardino Mountains, in a region about 85 miles east of Los Angeles. Corina Knoll, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2023 Meanwhile, a clipper system moving east through the lower Great Lakes was expected to bring light to moderate snowfall across the Great Lakes before reaching New England. Julianne Mcshane, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2023 The brunt of the storm should hit the Midwest Friday before moving east across Pennsylvania and New York. Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2023 An additional 19 states are now on winter weather advisories for blizzards, heavy snow, damaging winds and flooding as the storm system moves east. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2023 Satellite imagery collected by Maxar Technologies on Oct. 27 shows at least 25 vehicles — identified by three analysts as military vehicles — either stopped or moving very slowly less than three miles east of Mariam Shewito. Meg Kelly, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2023
Adjective
The Lunar New Year is a holiday that marks the first new moon of the lunisolar calendar, which is the calendar traditionally used in many east Asian countries including China, Vietnam, Singapore and South Korea. Andrea Wurzburger, Peoplemag, 22 Jan. 2023 For some of the best dining spots and trendy bars uptown, midtown or downtown, Manhattan’s east side has it all. Margie Goldsmith, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2023 Three men have been found guilty of murder and additional charges in the 2020 fatal shooting that killed four young people at an east-side Indianapolis apartment, according to prosecutors. Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Mar. 2023 In addition to Sacred Heart, Thomas also led St, Elizabeth Church, on McDougall and E. Canfield streets on Detroit’s east side. Patricia Montemurri, Detroit Free Press, 1 Mar. 2023 Just minutes before the incident inside the Kwik Trip, Madison Police asked the community for information about Kopmeyer's whereabouts and linked him to a homicide on the city's east side. Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2023 The Jazz Estate, an east side staple since 1977, has rebranded as The Estate, focusing on cocktails and cutting back its five-night a week music program. Jordyn Noennig, Journal Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2023 Breezy with an east wind 6 to 11 mph that could shift south from 19 to 24 mph after midnight. Rae Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 8 Feb. 2023 Tropical Storm Nicole strengthened on Tuesday, with forecasters warning it was now expected to hit Florida's east coast with storm surge, heavy rains, and strong winds by Thursday as a Category 1 hurricane. Harold Maass, The Week, 9 Nov. 2022
Noun
Melissa Barrera as Sam Carpenter Melissa Barrera 'Scream VI.' | Credit: Philippe Bossé/Paramount Tara's sister Sam has also moved east to keep an eye on her sibling and an eye out for a certain mask-wearing psycho. Clark Collis, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2023 The forecast Snow will move from west to east and snowfall will be very heavy at times on Friday morning, with a half-inch to an inch an hour, with a high of just 33 degrees. Maryann Struman, Detroit Free Press, 8 Mar. 2023 Travelers who opt for a 3-night post-cruise tour will board the train in Vancouver and travel east to Calgary. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 25 Jan. 2023 The Civic collided with a silver Ford Escape heading east on the same road, near Sycamore Lane. Katherine Shaver, Washington Post, 16 Jan. 2023 Iranian vessels smuggling weapons to Yemen must travel east through the gulf before heading south to Yemen. Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 10 Jan. 2023 The assailant then swiped the victim’s bicycle and rode off, headed east on the Prado. San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2022 But a large Levy Bro's sign is still visible high up on the building’s east-facing wall. Jonathan Bullington, The Courier-Journal, 21 Dec. 2022 Kin was driving north on Ohio 104 when the transport van was involved in a crash with a 2010 Dodge Ram driving east on Ohio 56. Cliff Pinckard, cleveland, 16 Dec. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'east.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English est, from Old English ēast; akin to Old High German ōstar to the east, Latin aurora dawn, Greek ēōs, heōs

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

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

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

Dictionary Entries Near east

Cite this Entry

“East.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/east. Accessed 22 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

east

1 of 3 adverb
: to or toward the east

east

2 of 3 adjective
1
: located toward or at the east
the east door of the school
2
: coming from the east
an east wind

east

3 of 3 noun
1
a
: the general direction of sunrise
b
: the compass point directly opposite to west
2
capitalized : regions or countries east of a specific place

More from Merriam-Webster on east

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