southeast

1 of 3

adverb

south·​east sau̇th-ˈēst 

nautical sau̇-ˈēst

: to, toward, or in the southeast

southeast

2 of 3

noun

1

a

: the general direction between south and east

b

: the point midway between the south and east compass points

2

Southeast : regions or countries lying to the southeast of a specified or implied point of orientation

southeast

3 of 3

adjective

1

: coming from the southeast

a southeast wind

2

: situated toward or at the southeast

the southeast corner

Examples of southeast in a Sentence

Adverb

It's a few miles southeast of here.

Noun

A mountain range is in the southeast of the country.

Rain is moving into the Southeast.

He grew up in the Southeast.

Adjective

My office is in the southeast corner of the building.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

And in 2021, eagles were spotted nesting at the Mon Valley Works Irvin Plant in 2021, about 12 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. —Finch Walker, USA Today, 18 May 2026

Ayden is about a 90-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh. —Mark Price may 18, Charlotte Observer, 18 May 2026

Noun

Armadillos are found throughout the Southeast but actually have expanded their range in recent years. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 19 May 2026

Tornado in Ray County The storms also spawned a possible tornado that touched down southeast of Excelsior Springs. —Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026

Adjective

Hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor activities remain major draws for other East River locales, including the Glacial Lakes area in the northeast and the Missouri River in the central and southeast parts of the state. —CBS News, 13 May 2026

Here’s a refresher for southeast Fort Worth readers on where the project stands. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

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

Phrases Containing southeast

• east-southeast
• southeast by east
• southeast by south
• south-southeast

Rhymes for southeast

• deceased
• decreased
• increased
• northeast
• policed
• released
• beast
• ceased
• creased
• east
• feast
• fleeced

Kids Definition

southeast

1 of 3 adverb

south·​east sau̇-ˈthēst 

nautical sau̇-ˈēst

: to or toward the southeast

southeast

2 of 3 noun

1

: the direction between south and east

2

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

southeast

3 of 3 adjective

1

: situated toward or at the southeast

the southeast corner

2

: coming from the southeast

a southeast wind