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

Hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings are in effect for the southwestern peninsula of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Port-Au-Prince, according to the hurricane center, as well as Jamaica. —Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025

But the southwestern Mexican city offers more than just outstanding cuisine. —Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2025

The moon, Mercury and Mars will set less than an hour after the sun, so be sure to stake out a vantage point with a clear view of the southwestern horizon to ensure a good view of the solar system parade. —Anthony Wood, Space.com, 22 Oct. 2025

Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, moved from Virginia to southwestern Florida in 2020. —Arthur Allen, ABC News, 22 Oct. 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