southwest

1 of 3

adverb

south·​west sau̇th-ˈwest 

nautical sau̇-ˈwest

: to, toward, or in the southwest

southwest

2 of 3

noun

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.

southwest

3 of 3

adjective

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

Adverb

The Don Yai Thong archaeological site, about 80 miles southwest of Bangkok, was discovered early this year after residents found pieces of ancient bronze drums in a rice field, leading to further excavation. — Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026

On a warm autumn day in the early 1900s, Henrietta Darwin, Charles Darwin’s eldest daughter, marched into the woods near her house on the outskirts of Gomshall, a rural English village about 30 miles southwest of London. — Leah Hudson, Popular Science, 9 July 2026

Noun

Residents can expect winds to be southwest 15 to 25 mph with peak gusts of 30 to 35 mph. — Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 9 July 2026

Since then, ships and aircraft have continued to comb waters nearly 300 kilometers (180 miles) southwest of Karachi, where the plane disappeared from radar while approaching Pakistan’s largest city from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. — ABC News, 9 July 2026

Adjective

Nomad Ridge at The Wilds Cumberland, Ohio Leave the kiddos at home for an adults-only overnight experience at The Wilds—the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s conservation center in southwest Ohio. — Tree Meinch, Midwest Living, 11 July 2026

The bedroom at the southwest corner opens to a heavy timber balcony to the south and a sitting room and office to the southeast. — Brian Bell, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

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

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing southwest

• south-southwest
• southwest by south
• southwest by west
• west-southwest

Rhymes for southwest

• abreast
• accessed
• addressed
• appressed
• armrest
• arrest
• assessed
• attest
• backrest
• behest
• bequest
• caressed

Kids Definition

southwest

1 of 3 adverb

south·​west sau̇th-ˈwest 

nautical sau̇-ˈwest

: to or toward the southwest

southwest

2 of 3 noun

1

: the direction between south and west

2

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

southwest

3 of 3 adjective

1

: coming from the southwest

a southwest wind

2

: situated toward or at the southwest

the southwest corner