1
a
: the general direction between south and west
b
: the point midway between the south and west compass points
2
capitalized
: regions or countries lying to the southwest of a specified or implied point of orientation
especially
: the southwestern part of the U.S.
1
: coming from the southwest
a southwest wind
2
: situated toward or at the southwest
the southwest corner
Examples of southwest in a Sentence
Adverb
It's about 80 miles southwest of here.
Noun
A mountain range is in the southwest of the country.
These plants grow in the Southwest.
Adjective
the southwest corner of the building
Recent Examples on the Web
Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 18 June 2025
Since the eponymous city, about 130 miles southwest of Paris, came to prominence with its first competition in 1923, the name has become synonymous with the pinnacle of automotive performance, the race regarded as the benchmark gauntlet for automakers.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 16 June 2025
Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 19 June 2025
Las Cruces is about a 185-mile drive southwest from Roswell.
—Sara Schilling, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2025
Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
Weather led to a scrub of the Aug. 3 attempt, but SpaceX was able to launch despite Tropical Storm Debby churning off Florida’s southwest coast.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for southwest
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Adverb
The small resort town of McCall is about 450 miles southwest of where the search for Decker is currently focused.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 18 June 2025
Since the eponymous city, about 130 miles southwest of Paris, came to prominence with its first competition in 1923, the name has become synonymous with the pinnacle of automotive performance, the race regarded as the benchmark gauntlet for automakers.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 16 June 2025
Noun
The Pan American Importing and Exporting Company was capitalized with all of $500 and was operating in a small building on Third Street southwest in Miami.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 19 June 2025
Las Cruces is about a 185-mile drive southwest from Roswell.
—Sara Schilling, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2025
Adjective
The Context The southwest Florida coast was forecast to see multiple rounds of slow-moving showers and thunderstorms by the National Weather Service (NWS) on Thursday.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
Weather led to a scrub of the Aug. 3 attempt, but SpaceX was able to launch despite Tropical Storm Debby churning off Florida’s southwest coast.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for southwest
Cite this Entry
“Southwest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/southwest. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
southwest
1 of 3 adverb
south·west
sau̇th-ˈwest 
nautical sau̇-ˈwest
: to or toward the southwest
southwest
2 of 3 noun1
: the direction between south and west
2
capitalized
: regions or countries southwest of a point that is mentioned or understood
southwest
3 of 3 adjective1
: coming from the southwest
a southwest wind
2
: situated toward or at the southwest
the southwest corner
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