toward

preposition

to·ward | \ ˈtō-ərd,

ˈtȯ(-ə)rd

variants: or towards \ ˈtō-ərd(z) ,

ˈtȯ(-ə)rd(z), tə-ˈwȯrd(z), ˈtwȯrd(z) \

Definition of toward

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : in the direction of driving toward town

2a : along a course leading to a long stride toward disarmament

b : in relation to an attitude toward life

3a : at a point in the direction of : near a cottage somewhere up toward the lake

b : in such a position as to be in the direction of your back was toward me

4 : not long before toward the end of the afternoon

5a : in the way of help or assistance in did all he could toward raising campaign funds

b : for the partial payment of proceeds go toward the establishment of a scholarship

toward

adjective

to·ward | \ ˈtō-ərd,

ˈtȯ(-ə)rd

Definition of toward (Entry 2 of 2)

1 or less commonly towards \ ˈtō-ərdz , ˈtȯ(-ə)rdz \ [ Middle English towardes, from Old English tōweardes, preposition, toward, from tōweard, adjective ]

a : coming soon : imminent

b : happening at the moment : afoot

2a obsolete : quick to learn : apt

b : propitious, favoring a toward breeze

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about toward

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of toward in a Sentence

Preposition

The bus is heading toward town. She took a step toward the door. They live out towards the edge of town. We're thinking of taking a vacation towards the end of the month. Efforts toward peace have been largely unsuccessful.

Recent Examples on the Web: Preposition

This pushed popular fashion toward a more mature look. — Eliza Brooke, Vox, "How the Great Recession influenced a decade of design," 27 Dec. 2018 This partnership with Netflix marks a significant move toward making that possible and is an incredibly exciting new chapter for the Roald Dahl Story Company. — Charlotte Chilton, Town & Country, "Everything We Know About the New Roald Dahl Series on Netflix," 28 Nov. 2018 Furthermore, the empathy they are asked to exude does not work toward their liberation. — Eva Lewis, Teen Vogue, "I Traveled to Paris to Advocate for Human Rights in Chicago's South Side," 27 Nov. 2018 Much of the new energy on the left over the past several years has been about making government bigger and bolder, an ideal driven by a burgeoning movement toward democratic socialism. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "Top House Democrats join Elizabeth Warren’s push to fundamentally change American capitalism," 14 Dec. 2018 That sum included a new campus, which initially will house technical support for customers, and $10 billion toward data centers across the country. — Yoko Kubota, WSJ, "Apple to Build New Campus in Austin," 13 Dec. 2018 Fold the sides and ends toward the center, roll again, fold once more and stand on ice for fifteen minutes. — Marley Marius, Vogue, "7 Alternative Thanksgiving Desserts from the Vogue Archive," 16 Nov. 2018 An athlete works toward a goal and is rewarded with concrete proof of his effort. — Brendan Tapley, Woman's Day, "10 Things Men Wish Women Knew About the Way They Think," 6 Nov. 2018 Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook feels less like a groundbreaking trendsetter, and more like an exceptionally well-textured part of the movement toward more personal, niche horror. — Tasha Robinson, The Verge, "The new horror film canon (and where to stream it)," 1 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'toward.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.