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
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
Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 31 Oct. 2025
The earthquake's epicenter was located roughly 11 miles southeast of Redway and occurred at a depth of 5 miles.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 31 Oct. 2025
Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 7 Nov. 2025
Cold air sweeping southeast across Lake Superior or Lake Michigan often targets communities from Marquette and Traverse City to Muskegon and Holland.
—Brandi D. Addison, Freep.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2025
Between 1560 and 1700, more than 500 women were tried for witchcraft in the southeast region, according to UK Parliament estimates.
—James Frater, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for southeast
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Adverb
In July, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed in a letter that the federal government had plans to turn Camp Atterbury, an Indiana National Guard base about 40 miles southeast of Indianapolis, into a migrant holding facility.
—Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 31 Oct. 2025
The earthquake's epicenter was located roughly 11 miles southeast of Redway and occurred at a depth of 5 miles.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
Several precincts in the county’s southeast that opposed the tax skew more Republican than Democrat – but a couple skew more Democrat.
—Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 7 Nov. 2025
Cold air sweeping southeast across Lake Superior or Lake Michigan often targets communities from Marquette and Traverse City to Muskegon and Holland.
—Brandi D. Addison, Freep.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
The Pedrazas source their chocolate from 3,500-year-old trees in Chiapas in southeast Mexico.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2025
Between 1560 and 1700, more than 500 women were tried for witchcraft in the southeast region, according to UK Parliament estimates.
—James Frater, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for southeast
Cite this Entry
“Southeast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/southeast. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
southeast
1 of 3 adverb
south·east
sau̇-ˈthēst 
nautical sau̇-ˈēst
: to or toward the southeast
southeast
2 of 3 noun1
: the direction between south and east
2
capitalized
: regions or countries southeast of a point that is mentioned or understood
southeast
3 of 3 adjective1
: situated toward or at the southeast
the southeast corner
2
: coming from the southeast
a southeast wind
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