northeast

1 of 3

adverb

north·​east nȯrth-ˈēst How to pronounce northeast (audio)
nautical
nȯr-ˈēst How to pronounce northeast (audio)
: to, toward, or in the northeast

northeast

2 of 3

adjective

1
: coming from the northeast
a northeast wind
2
: situated toward or at the northeast
the northeast corner

northeast

3 of 3

noun

1
a
: the general direction between north and east
b
: the point midway between the north and east compass points
2
capitalized : regions or countries lying to the northeast of a specified or implied point of orientation

Examples of northeast in a Sentence

Adverb It's a few miles northeast of here. We left the city and headed northeast. Adjective My office is in the northeast corner of the building. Noun A mountain range is in the northeast of the country. Parts of the Northeast were hit hard by the storm. I grew up in the Northeast.
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
Camp Verde is about a 90-mile drive northeast from Phoenix. Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2025 Weaverville is 50 miles northeast of Rosman. Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Nor’easters are storms along the East Coast of North America that bring large, intense areas of low pressure with northeast winds. Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025 In northeast Gaza, the city Beit Hanoun appeared leveled. Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
Phoenix, Arizona – Rainfall is forecast to peak in the Phoenix region overnight Friday as Priscilla's remnants move across Arizona from southeast to northeast, with wind gusts of up to 57 mph. Doyle Rice, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025 After a few days of snorkeling and beach-lolling, the view from our helicopter transfer to the Miavana resort on the island of Nosy Ankao just off Madagascar’s northeast, painted an alarmingly different picture. Chris Schalkx, Vogue, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for northeast

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

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

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Northeast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/northeast. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

northeast

1 of 3 adverb
north·​east nȯr-ˈthēst How to pronounce northeast (audio)
nautical
nȯ-ˈrēst How to pronounce northeast (audio)
: to or toward the northeast

northeast

2 of 3 noun
1
: the direction between north and east
2
capitalized : regions or countries northeast of a point that is mentioned or understood

northeast

3 of 3 adjective
1
: placed or lying toward or at the northeast
the northeast corner
2
: coming from the northeast
a northeast wind

More from Merriam-Webster on northeast

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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