northeast

1 of 3

adverb

north·​east nȯrth-ˈēst 

nautical

nȯr-ˈēst 

: 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

Northeast : 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

Adverb

About 20 miles northeast of Austin, Pflugerville is a thriving suburb with German heritage, which is celebrated at the yearly Deutschen Pfest. —Amanda Ogle, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025

El Dorado Hills is located 30 miles northeast of Sacramento. —Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2025

Adjective

Wayne’s body was found by a passing driver in a northeast Aurora field littered with trash and debris one month after she was last seen alive, with her clothes and purse were strewn about the area, according to the affidavit. —Katie Langford, Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2025

Abu Lulu holds the rank of brigadier general in the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group that broke away from and, since April of 2023, has fought against the Sudanese Armed Forces for control of Sudan, a gold-rich country in northeast Africa. —Nicolas Niarchos, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025

Noun

Taking over Pokrovsk would allow Russia to shift its focus elsewhere – namely towards the string of industrial cities to its northeast that form the backbone of Ukrainian defenses in the region. —Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025

The conflict has been largely concentrated in Nigeria's northeast, with frequent spillover into other provinces and across the borders of neighboring nations, particularly Cameroon, Chad and Niger. —Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025

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

Phrases Containing northeast

• east-northeast
• northeast by east
• northeast by north
• north-northeast
• the northeast

Rhymes for northeast

• deceased
• decreased
• increased
• policed
• released
• southeast
• beast
• ceased
• creased
• east
• feast
• fleeced

Kids Definition

northeast

1 of 3 adverb

north·​east nȯr-ˈthēst 

nautical

nȯ-ˈrēst 

: 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