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
David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
The arrest occurred roughly 250 miles southwest of Utah Valley University, where Kirk was killed during a campus event.
—Amanda Castro
joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Venus will be visible in the east and Jupiter in the southeast, with Saturn in the southwest.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 12 Sep. 2025
To the right is a picnic area, the visitors center, and a route to the Civil War installations, the western Kayak Group and Ridge campsites on the southwest side of the island.
—Don Sproul, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for southwest
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Adverb
The city is located over 260 miles southwest of Utah Valley University.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
The arrest occurred roughly 250 miles southwest of Utah Valley University, where Kirk was killed during a campus event.
—Amanda Castro
joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
They were pulled from the Red Barn, a local landmark dating to the early 1900s in this small community southwest of the Keweenaw Peninsula.
—Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Venus will be visible in the east and Jupiter in the southeast, with Saturn in the southwest.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Growing up in southwest Nebraska, Villareal owned a horse aptly named Bronco.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 12 Sep. 2025
To the right is a picnic area, the visitors center, and a route to the Civil War installations, the western Kayak Group and Ridge campsites on the southwest side of the island.
—Don Sproul, Oc Register, 9 Sep. 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 15 Sep. 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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