west

1 of 3

adverb

: to, toward, or in the west

west

2 of 3

adjective

1
: situated toward or at the west
the west exit
2
: coming from the west
a west wind

west

3 of 3

noun

1
a
: the general direction of sunset : the direction to the left of one facing north
b
: the compass point directly opposite to east
2
capitalized
a
: regions or countries lying to the west of a specified or implied point of orientation
b
: the noncommunist countries of Europe and America
3
: the end of a church opposite the chancel
4
often capitalized
a
: the one of four positions at 90-degree intervals that lies to the west or at the left of a diagram
b
: a person (such as a bridge player) occupying this position during a specified activity

Examples of west in a Sentence

Adverb They drove west after they got off the highway. They live just west of here. Adjective cities on the west coast Noun There's a beautiful pond to the west of the trail. We will be traveling into the city from the west. If that way is east, then this way is west. Floods have caused extensive damage in the West. Come explore the natural wonders of the American West. policies foreign to the West
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
Now, after setting Europe ablaze with their new Hyperdrama tour, Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay are heading west again. Alma Rota, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025 The manufacturing facility, Accurate Energetic Systems, lies roughly 60 miles west of Nashville and crafts highly explosive products for the military and industrial companies. Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Indianapolis plans to convert a west side nonprofit's building into a temporary homeless shelter this winter through a citywide program that offers people somewhere to sleep indoors during cold weather. Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 15 Oct. 2025 Areas most likely to see rain Tuesday are west of Interstate 35, the weather service said. Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
The approximate zone boundaries are Main Drive to the north, Salem Road to the west, Wedington Drive to the south and Gregg Avenue to the east. Edward McKinnon, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2025 Her team has been excavating Taposiris Magna, a temple located west of Alexandria, once thought to hold little significance. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for west

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German westar to the west and probably to Latin vesper evening, Greek hesperos

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 west was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“West.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/west. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

west

1 of 3 adverb
: to or toward the west

west

2 of 3 adjective
1
: situated toward or at the west
the west entrance
2
: coming from the west
a west wind

west

3 of 3 noun
1
: the direction of sunset : the compass point opposite to east
2
capitalized
a
: regions or countries west of a point that is mentioned or understood
b
: the countries of Europe and the Americas that are not communist

Biographical Definition

West 1 of 4

biographical name (1)

Benjamin 1738–1820 American painter

West

2 of 4

biographical name (2)

Nathanael 1903–1940 originally Nathan Wallenstein Weinstein American novelist

West

3 of 4

biographical name (3)

Dame Rebecca 1892–1983 pseudonym of Cicily Isabel Andrews née Fairfield English critic and novelist

West

4 of 4

biographical name (4)

Thomas see de la warr

More from Merriam-Webster on west

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