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

Next, find the Ritter and Sabine craters to the southwestern edge of the lunar sea. —Anthony Wood, Space.com, 25 Apr. 2026

Historically, Biarritz—a small seaside hamlet on France’s southwestern coast—has closely competed with its eastern neighbors on the Med. —Monica Mendal, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2026

Vance Air Force Base, in the southwestern part of Enid, was closed due to issues with power and water restoration. —Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2026

Vance Air Force Base, in the southwestern part of Enid, sat right at the tornado’s edge. —Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 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