1
a
: the general direction between south and west
b
: the point midway between the south and west compass points
2
Southwest
: 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
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 27 Dec. 2025
South southeast wind around 6 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 25 Dec. 2025
The weather will include southwest gusts as high as 55 mph.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 23 Dec. 2025
Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 26 Dec. 2025
Southeast wind around 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for southwest
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Adverb
The earthquake struck at a depth of 11 miles, with its epicenter approximately 6 miles southwest of Idyllwild.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 27 Dec. 2025
South southeast wind around 6 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Noun
St Peter’s Square has been decorated with a nativity scene from the Diocese of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno, in Campania, southwest Italy, and a 25-meter-tall Christmas tree from the Val d’Ultimo area in Bolzano, northern Italy.
—Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 25 Dec. 2025
The weather will include southwest gusts as high as 55 mph.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 23 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Little Rock police on Friday identified a man shot to death early Tuesday in the parking lot of a southwest Little Rock apartment complex.
—Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 26 Dec. 2025
Southeast wind around 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 26 Dec. 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 29 Dec. 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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