: the direction or side away from land and toward the open sea
1
: directed or situated toward the sea
2
: coming from the sea
a seaward wind
Examples of seaward in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
The legislation now applies only to buildings that sit at least partially on the seaward side of the state’s coastal construction control line, a boundary that hugs the coast and is meant to restrict construction near beaches.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
Walter Nicklin, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2022
The building, however slipped seaward too rapidly and the plan had to be abandoned.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2022
Justin Beal, Harper’s Magazine , 14 Dec. 2022
The ground on the seaward side of the panels will be back-filled so the tiebacks will not be visible when the work is finished.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for seaward
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Noun
China has 13 landward neighbors and seven seaward neighbors, and no shortage of disagreements with them.
—S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
The legislation now applies only to buildings that sit at least partially on the seaward side of the state’s coastal construction control line, a boundary that hugs the coast and is meant to restrict construction near beaches.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
Adverb
The picturesque fishing village of Blue Rocks, less than four miles seaward, also beckons.
—Walter Nicklin, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2022
The building, however slipped seaward too rapidly and the plan had to be abandoned.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 July 2022
Adjective
On the seaward side of the bridge, the canal widens to meet the harbor.
—Justin Beal, Harper’s Magazine , 14 Dec. 2022
The ground on the seaward side of the panels will be back-filled so the tiebacks will not be visible when the work is finished.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2022
See All Example Sentences for seaward
Cite this Entry
“Seaward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seaward. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
seaward
1 of 3 noun
sea·ward
ˈsē-wərd 
: the direction or side away from land and toward the open sea
seaward
2 of 3 adjective1
: going or located toward the sea
2
: coming from the sea
a seaward wind
seaward
3 of 3 adverb
variants
also seawards
-wərdz
: toward the sea
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