northwest

1 of 3

adverb

north·​west nȯrth-ˈwest 

nautical

nȯr-ˈwest 

: to, toward, or in the northwest

northwest

2 of 3

adjective

1

: coming from the northwest

a northwest wind

2

: situated toward or at the northwest

the northwest corner

northwest

3 of 3

noun

1

a

: the general direction between north and west

b

: the point midway between the north and west compass points

2

Northwest : regions or countries lying to the northwest of a specified or implied point of orientation

Examples of northwest in a Sentence

Adverb

It's about 80 miles northwest of here.

I headed northwest on Route 1.

Adjective

the northwest corner of the building

Noun

A mountain range is in the northwest of the country.

We traveled throughout the Northwest.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Boulder residents, particularly the Jewish community, described being unnerved by the attack in their city northwest of Denver that’s home to the University of Colorado. — ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026

In the midst of the Project Blue saga, news broke that the developer was looking into building a data center campus in Marana, a rural town 20 miles northwest of Tucson. — Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 29 Oct. 2026

Adjective

Because storms will be moving in outside of peak heating, the risk in and around Austin is lower than that found across northwest Texas Monday evening. — Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 2 Nov. 2026

Investigators were combing through debris scattered across a field in northwest Oregon Thursday after two helicopters collided midair, killing three people and forcing the closure of a nearby highway, officials said. — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026

Noun

Calmer ocean conditions are expected Tuesday and Wednesday, but an active storm pattern over the north Pacific will generate northwest swells that will likely impact the coastline starting Thursday and peaking Saturday, according to forecasters. — Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026

Elevated surf may increase flood impacts during this time, especially across west to northwest facing beaches. — Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 Nov. 2026

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 1

Noun

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

Phrases Containing northwest

• north-northwest
• northwest by north
• northwest by west
• the northwest
• west-northwest

Rhymes for northwest

• abreast
• accessed
• addressed
• appressed
• armrest
• arrest
• assessed
• attest
• backrest
• behest
• bequest
• caressed

Kids Definition

northwest

1 of 3 adverb

north·​west nȯrth-ˈwest 

nautical

nȯr-ˈwest 

: to or toward the northwest

northwest

2 of 3 noun

1

: the direction between north and west

2

capitalized : the regions or countries northwest of a point that is mentioned or understood

northwest

3 of 3 adjective

1

: coming from the northwest

a northwest wind

2

: placed or lying toward or at the northwest

the northwest corner

Geographical Definition

North West

geographical name

variants or Noordwes

ˌnȯrd-ˈwes 

ˌnȯrt-

province of the northern part of the Republic of South Africa bordering Botswana area 44,861 square miles (116,190 square kilometers)