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

Below-average temperatures are expected to continue between September 9 and 13 across large parts of New England, the Midwest and southwestern states including California, Nevada and parts of Arizona, according to the Climate Prediction Center. —Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025

Neil Hopper, a 49-year-old vascular surgeon in Truro, Cornwall County in southwestern England, received a jail sentence of two years and eight months after pleading guilty to two counts of fraud and three counts of possessing extreme pornography, per the BBC and The Guardian. —Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025

The missing girl's body was found in a river in southwestern Pennsylvania. —Doc Louallen, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2025

Le Coual is a 16th-century stone manor house in southwestern France that has been in her family for over 50 years. —Jessica Booth, People.com, 2 Sep. 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