southwestern

adjective

south·​west·​ern sau̇(th)-ˈwe-stərn 

1

: lying toward or coming from the southwest

2

often Southwestern : 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

With the help of an archaeologist from a Philadelphia university, the short swords and arrowheads were authenticated as antiquities dating back to 1600-1000 BCE from the southwestern Caspian Sea near the Talish Mountains region of Iran, CBP said. —Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026

At the same time Southwestern tribes were pursuing their lives or dealing with the new peoples who came from Europe, Indigenous peoples on the eastern side of the continent were influencing the birth of a new nation. —Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 27 Feb. 2026

Located on the southwestern tip of Costa Rica in the Puntarenas province, Pavones is a remote coastal village that’s highly celebrated for its surf. —Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 26 Feb. 2026

At Harlan’s Point Loma jewelry store, glass cases are filled with silver pieces, mostly in Native American and Southwestern styles. —Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026

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