west

1 of 3

adverb

ˈwest 

: to, toward, or in the west

west

2 of 3

adjective

1

: situated toward or at the west

the west exit

2

: coming from the west

a west wind

west

3 of 3

noun

1

a

: the general direction of sunset : the direction to the left of one facing north

b

: the compass point directly opposite to east

2

capitalized

a

: regions or countries lying to the west of a specified or implied point of orientation

b

: the noncommunist countries of Europe and America

3

: the end of a church opposite the chancel

4

often capitalized

a

: the one of four positions at 90-degree intervals that lies to the west or at the left of a diagram

b

: a person (such as a bridge player) occupying this position during a specified activity

Examples of west in a Sentence

Adverb

They drove west after they got off the highway.

They live just west of here.

Adjective

cities on the west coast

Noun

There's a beautiful pond to the west of the trail.

We will be traveling into the city from the west.

If that way is east, then this way is west.

Floods have caused extensive damage in the West.

Come explore the natural wonders of the American West.

policies foreign to the West

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

On Thursday, May 1, just before 7:15 p.m. local time, Idaho State Police responded to a crash on U.S. Highway 20 near Henry's Lake State Park — about 16 miles west of Yellowstone — officials said in a news release. —Rachel Raposas, People.com, 2 May 2025

The state park is roughly 16 miles west of Yellowstone National Park. —CBS News, 2 May 2025

Adjective

What To Know Under the terms of the agreement, the City of Millbrae will oversee land use and planning on the west side of the existing Millbrae BART station. —Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025

Baltimore County already has the foundation — the east side dominates in logistics, the central corridor boasts gaming, tech and financial services, the west side has thriving finance and IT sectors, and the southwest leads in health care, data science and biotech. —Will Anderson, Baltimore Sun, 22 Apr. 2025

Noun

The Shandong's deployment in the waters east of the Philippines confirmed that the Chinese aircraft carrier had transited the Luzon Strait, located between southern Taiwan and northern Philippines, connecting the South China Sea in the west and the Philippine Sea in the east. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025

The Chicago strategist pointed out Underwood’s ability to win Illinois’s competitive 14th District, located west of Chicago, while adding that Stratton had two statewide wins under her belt. —Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German westar to the west and probably to Latin vesper evening, Greek hesperos

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing west

• galley-west
• north by west
• northwest by west
• out west
• south by west
• southwest by west
• west by north
• west by south
• west-northwest
• west-southwest

Rhymes for west

• blessed
• blest
• breast
• chest
• crest
• dressed
• fest
• gest
• geste
• guessed
• jest
• lest

Kids Definition

west

1 of 3 adverb

ˈwest 

: to or toward the west

west

2 of 3 adjective

1

: situated toward or at the west

the west entrance

2

: coming from the west

a west wind

west

3 of 3 noun

1

: the direction of sunset : the compass point opposite to east

2

capitalized

a

: regions or countries west of a point that is mentioned or understood

b

: the countries of Europe and the Americas that are not communist

Biographical Definition

West 1 of 4

biographical name (1)

ˈwest 

Benjamin 1738–1820 American painter

West

2 of 4

biographical name (2)

Nathanael 1903–1940 originally Nathan Wallenstein Weinstein American novelist

West

3 of 4

biographical name (3)

Dame Rebecca 1892–1983 pseudonym of Cicily Isabel Andrews née Fairfield English critic and novelist

West

4 of 4

biographical name (4)

Thomas see de la warr