1
: coming from the northeast
a northeast wind
2
: situated toward or at the northeast
the northeast corner
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
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Tropical Storm Fernand was headed into open waters of the central Atlantic well east and northeast of Bermuda, the National Hurricane Center said Monday.
—John Bacon, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
The damaging winds uprooted trees and tore roof shingles in neighborhoods around Carmichael, knocking out power to more than 13,000 SMUD customers in Sacramento’s northeast suburbs.
—Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
The storm is moving toward the north-northeast near 12 mph, and this motion is expected to continue for the next day or so, followed by a turn to the northeast, according to the hurricane center.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for northeast
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Adverb
The earthquake's epicenter was situated roughly 9 miles northeast of Yerington and occurred at a depth of 5 miles.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Tropical Storm Fernand was headed into open waters of the central Atlantic well east and northeast of Bermuda, the National Hurricane Center said Monday.
—John Bacon, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
This is compared to 25% for Harris in Modoc, where California’s northeast corner converges with the Oregon and Nevada state lines.
—David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
The damaging winds uprooted trees and tore roof shingles in neighborhoods around Carmichael, knocking out power to more than 13,000 SMUD customers in Sacramento’s northeast suburbs.
—Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
About an hour and a half before sunrise, look low to the east-northeast to spot dazzling Venus nestled near the Beehive Cluster (M44) in Cancer.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
The storm is moving toward the north-northeast near 12 mph, and this motion is expected to continue for the next day or so, followed by a turn to the northeast, according to the hurricane center.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for northeast
Cite this Entry
“Northeast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/northeast. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
northeast
1 of 3 adverb
north·east
nȯr-ˈthēst 
nautical
nȯ-ˈrēst
: to or toward the northeast
northeast
2 of 3 noun1
: the direction between north and east
2
capitalized
: regions or countries northeast of a point that is mentioned or understood
northeast
3 of 3 adjective1
: placed or lying toward or at the northeast
the northeast corner
2
: coming from the northeast
a northeast wind
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