1
: situated toward or at the west
the west exit
2
: coming from the west
a west wind
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
West
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 West
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
Jordan Novet, CNBC, 25 Nov. 2025
In December 2024, this included American climbers Kurt Blair, 56, Carlos Romero, 50, who went missing on the mountain, which stands around 130 miles west of the city of Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
There are also two free bike valets available on the west entrance of the Laurel Street bridge and on the east end of Village Place near the San Diego Natural History Museum parking lot.
—Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2025
Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 Dec. 2025
Novorossiya, or New Russia, is a historical term referring to territories toward the west during the Russian empire; Putin has revived the term, and used it in declaring the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea as part of Russia in 2014.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for west
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adverb
Microsoft plotted out land just west of We Energies’ 610-megawatt Oak Creek coal plant, which opened beside Lake Michigan in the 1950s.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 25 Nov. 2025
In December 2024, this included American climbers Kurt Blair, 56, Carlos Romero, 50, who went missing on the mountain, which stands around 130 miles west of the city of Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Most of the Denver metro area will end up with 3–6 inches, with the higher totals on the south and west side and lower amounts east of I-25.
—Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
There are also two free bike valets available on the west entrance of the Laurel Street bridge and on the east end of Village Place near the San Diego Natural History Museum parking lot.
—Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2025
Noun
In addition to quality time with Santa and his merry crew, the six-hour trip gives guests a rare perspective of the towering canyon walls, the massive dam, and the desert landscape of two neighboring states—Arizona to the east and Nevada to the west.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 Dec. 2025
Novorossiya, or New Russia, is a historical term referring to territories toward the west during the Russian empire; Putin has revived the term, and used it in declaring the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea as part of Russia in 2014.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for west
Cite this Entry
“West.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/west. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
west
1 of 3 adverb
: to or toward the west
west
2 of 3 adjective1
: situated toward or at the west
the west entrance
2
: coming from the west
a west wind
west
3 of 3 noun1
: 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
2 of 4biographical name (2)
Nathanael 1903–1940 originally Nathan Wallenstein Weinstein American novelist
West
3 of 4biographical name (3)
Dame Rebecca 1892–1983 pseudonym of Cicily Isabel Andrews née Fairfield English critic and novelist
West
4 of 4biographical name (4)
Thomas see de la warr
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