onward

1 of 2

adverb

on·​ward ˈȯn-wərd 

ˈän-

variants or less commonly onwards

ˈȯn-wərdz 

ˈän-

: toward or at a point lying ahead in space or time : forward

onward

2 of 2

adjective

: directed or moving onward : forward

Synonyms of onward

Adverb

• forward

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 desert

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Then, as expected, from that initial value, the Universe’s entropy has been forever increasing from that point onward. —Big Think, 9 Apr. 2026

Pregnant women from the second trimester onward should also avoid it, as the growing uterus can compress the inferior vena cava. —Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026

Adjective

Throughout the 1980s and onward Scott-Heron struggled with drug and alcohol use, which often disrupted his artistic endeavors and personal life. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Mar. 2026

There were signs of disconnection as stray passes failed to find a blue shirt, the most obvious example being Erin Cuthbert hoping to hit an onward runner from a free kick, only for the ball to go straight out of play. —Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing onward

• onward and upward

Kids Definition

onward

1 of 2 adverb

on·​ward ˈȯn-wərd 

ˈän-

variants also onwards

-wərdz 

: toward or at a point lying ahead in space or time : forward

kept moving onward

onward

2 of 2 adjective

: directed or moving onward

the onward march of time