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

Cradled beneath dramatic cliffs on Mauritius’s southwestern coast, Le Morne Beach beckons with silky sands and swaying palms that cast dappled shade over slung hammocks. —Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025

Meanwhile, in China's southwestern Guizhou Province, the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge reached a milestone with the installation of its final steel girder. —Doc Louallen, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2025

Camelback Castle: Perched on the southwestern slopes of Camelback Mountain, Copenhaver Castle is modeled after Moorish and Spanish Castles. —Shelby Slade, AZCentral.com, 5 Aug. 2025

The southwestern province is one of China’s poorest and was among the many areas granted a carve-out under the one-child policy, allowing rural couples a second child if their first born was a girl – a concession to the country’s traditional preference for sons. —Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 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