SINCE 1828
onward
adverb
on·ward
| \ ˈȯn-wərd
, ˈän-\
, ˈän-\
variants:
or less commonly onwards \ ˈȯn-wərdz
, ˈän- \
, ˈän- \
Definition of onward
(Entry 1 of 2)
: toward or at a point lying ahead in space or time : forward
onward
adjectiveDefinition of onward (Entry 2 of 2)
: directed or moving onward : forward
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Examples of onward in a Sentence
Adverb
They have lived in that house from 1983 onward. we must continue to move onward, or we will die in this desertRecent Examples on the Web: Adverb
After about three minutes, the second stage carried its payload onward, toward a successful deployment of the SAOCOM 1A satellite into a Sun-synchronous orbit. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "SpaceX has landed on the West Coast for the first time [Updated]," 7 Oct. 2018 Those fans — and their children and grandchildren — pass those loyalties onward and maintain them even when their current cities have NHL teams of their own. — Geoff Baker, The Seattle Times, "How much money can Seattle NHL fans expect to pay for tickets? More than in most other sports," 5 Dec. 2018 In reality, the country was in a period of transition, as the industrial revolution marched onward and more people moved from rural areas to cities in search of jobs. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "We have food safety laws thanks to 19th century “poison squad”," 26 Nov. 2018 Mexico and Canada would host only 10 games each, while the U.S. would host 60 games, including every game from the quarterfinals onward. — Grant Wahl, SI.com, "USA's Joint Bid Makes Final Play for Votes Ahead of 2026 World Cup Decision Day," 11 June 2018 Oath’s media assets, including HuffPost, TechCrunch, Engadget, and Tumblr, are all continuing onward under the new, less bizarre parent company name. — Ashley Carman, The Verge, "Oath will soon be rebranded as Verizon Media Group," 5 Nov. 2018 On Sunday, a surging group of migrants — thousands bigger than the group that had waited on the bridge — agreed to continue onward from Chiapas, Mexico, to the US. — Dara Lind, Vox, "The migrant caravan, explained," 24 Oct. 2018 Later, a BuzzFeed News investigation discovered that, from 2014 onward, the state obtained drugs from a compounding pharmacy in St. Louis, one that has been dogged by allegations of misconduct. — Abdullah Shihipar, Teen Vogue, "Lethal Injection Drugs and the Death Penalty, Explained," 30 Oct. 2018 Throughout the past two weeks, much of the country's headlines have surrounded Judge Brett Kavanaugh as the Supreme Court nominee's confirmation hearings have proceeded onward toward his final confirmation vote scheduled for this afternoon. — Jennifer Lance, Glamour, "Melania Trump Responds to Kavanaugh Hearings: "I Think He's Highly Qualified"," 6 Oct. 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Upon arrival at Nadi International Airport you will be met by the guest relations officer from Laucala Island Resort who will assist you with your luggage and onward connecting flight. — Tom Ricketts, Town & Country, "How to Plan a Trip to Fiji," 5 Oct. 2016 The journalists were told that their onward travel would involve a 12-hour train ride, followed by a four-hour bus journey, and then a hike to get to the site, which is over 300 miles from Wonsan. — Adam Taylor, Washington Post, "For foreign journalists, a lengthy and bizarre journey to see a North Korean nuclear test site demolition," 24 May 2018 This is a straight-ahead trio for the ages, fed by a tension between Mr. Jarrett’s resolute, lapidary touch and the collective’s shape-shifting, onward drive. — Jon Pareles, New York Times, "The Playlist: Beyoncé and Jay-Z Unite, and 12 More New Songs," 2 Mar. 2018 Helen Maguire, director of consumer sales, said the airline is working with Irish tourism officials to encourage customers to spend a few days in Ireland before making onward connections. — Andrew Maykuth, Philly.com, "Aer Lingus cleared for takeoff at Philadelphia airport," 30 Jan. 2018 Notify the embassy of your whereabouts, status, and onward travel plans online via the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP. — Cynthia Drescher, CNT, "Bali's Mount Agung Volcano: What Travelers Should Know," 26 Sep. 2017 The animal was supposed to fly an onward leg to Kansas City, Mo., after landing at Chicago’s O'Hare International Airport. — Fox News, "United Airline controversies: From revoking toddler's seat to David Dao’s removal," 6 July 2017 From there, a second study led by researchers from the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla suggests that the island nations of the Caribbean became the springboard for Zika’s onward travel. — Melissa Healy, latimes.com, "What the DNA of the Zika virus tells scientists about its rapid spread," 25 May 2017 Before July 1, travelers could book their Ravn flights at AlaskaAir.com in conjunction with their onward flights. — Scott Mcmurren, Alaska Dispatch News, "Bears, fish and Valley of 10,000 Smokes make Katmai well worth the trip – and the price tag," 14 July 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'onward.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for onward
onward
adverb
English Language Learners Definition of onward
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to or toward what is ahead in space or time
onward
adjectiveEnglish Language Learners Definition of onward (Entry 2 of 2)
: moving toward the future or toward a more advanced state or condition
See the full definition for onward in the English Language Learners Dictionary
onward
adverb
on·ward
| \ ˈȯn-wərd
, ˈän-\
, ˈän-\
Kids Definition of onward
(Entry 1 of 2)
: toward or at a point lying ahead in space or time : forward
From then onward she trusted him.
The river flows onward to the coast.
onward
adjectiveKids Definition of onward (Entry 2 of 2)
: directed or moving forward
There's no stopping the onward march of time.
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Comments on onward
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