southwestern

adjective

south·​west·​ern sau̇(th)-ˈwe-stərn 

1

: lying toward or coming from the southwest

2

often capitalized : of, relating to, or characteristic of a region conventionally designated Southwest

southwesternmost

sau̇(th)-ˈwe-stərn-ˌmōst 

adjective

Examples of southwestern in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It will be built in phases at the southwestern corner of the Texas 130 toll road and Texas 71, along Onion Creek and about 8 miles from downtown Austin. —Shonda Novak, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025

Another storm hit the southwestern metro at about 8:30 p.m. after the first storm had left, prompting warnings in parts of Carver and Scott counties. —Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 29 July 2025

Scotts Head at the southwestern end of the island is equally accessible and offers a sweeping view of the island. —Sarah Sekula, USA Today, 29 July 2025

Firefighters saw southwestern winds and critically dry conditions, which aggravated the spread of the fire and limited efforts to recover overnight, according to the team. —Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 28 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English sūth-westerne, from sūth south + westerne western

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing southwestern

• southwestern corn borer

Rhymes for southwestern

• northwestern
• western

Kids Definition

southwestern

adjective

south·​west·​ern sau̇(th)-ˈwes-tərn 

1

: lying toward or coming from the southwest

2

often capitalized : of, relating to, or characteristic of the Southwest