west

1 of 3

adverb

: 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

Example Sentences

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 See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
Power was restored to medical facilities west of Fort Worth in Weatherford, Texas, where more than half the city was initially without power and many homes, businesses and the city hall were damaged, said city spokesman Blake Rexroat. Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 3 Mar. 2023 Some relatives live or have lived in Lexington, Neb., a town of about 10,000 people on Interstate 80, about 220 miles west of Omaha. Peter Hermann, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2023 The sheriff's office reported both men live in Norfolk, 113 miles northwest of Omaha and 83 miles west of Sioux City. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2023 An officer yelled Brasel had a gun as police chased him west from the park, police said. Laurinda Joenks, Arkansas Online, 2 Mar. 2023 Lenin was born west of the Urals—that is, in Europe—and Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels were German. Wai Wah Chin, WSJ, 2 Mar. 2023 The 8,000-seat stadium would be part of the Iron District, a development that also would include an indoor concert venue and hotel on 11 acres west of North Sixth Street and south of West Michigan Street. Tom Daykin, Journal Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2023 The toll surpassed that of a 1968 collision involving two passenger trains near Corinth, about 40 miles west of Athens, which left 34 people dead. Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2023 Their report additionally noted that the suspect fled west on 41st Street in a car. Thania Garcia, Variety, 1 Mar. 2023
Adjective
An airport spokesperson said the suspicious package was discovered shortly after 11 a.m. Monday and the west side of the airport's main terminal was shut down. Sam Sweeney, ABC News, 1 Mar. 2023 The mix of residential development, hotel and office space, parking garages and retail space will sit on the west side of Red Mountain Expressway, on the opposite side of the expressway from St. Vincent’s Hospital. al, 1 Mar. 2023 Carmelitas Modern Mexican Cuisine recently opened on the west side of Springdale. Garrett Moore, Arkansas Online, 24 Feb. 2023 One person is dead and up to five people were taken to the hospital Tuesday evening after a collision between two vehicles on the west side of Indianapolis. John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 22 Feb. 2023 This system will blow south winds into the Peninsula and west side of San Francisco, spreading into all corners of the Bay Area Thursday afternoon. Gerry Díaz, San Francisco Chronicle, 16 Feb. 2023 Parking on the west side of Route 1, previously $50, will now be free. Michael Silverman, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Feb. 2023 Concept plans for Tuscany Station, planned for 98.3 acres on the west side of Orchard Road north of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway, were originally approved by the village in 2014 and revised in 2020. Linda Girardi, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2023 Paul Dobrynin, a 39-year-old founder of a floor company, set up a cold plunge on his building’s roof on the west side of Manhattan. Alyson Krueger, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2023
Noun
The snake was on the side of a road in Medford, a town just a short drive west of the Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory. Li Cohen, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2023 Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida - 78,488 recreation visits About 70 miles (113 km) west of Key West, Dry Tortugas is mostly open water with seven small islands. Marnie Hunter, CNN, 5 Mar. 2023 Months ago, organizers of a Pride festival in Jackson, west of Nashville, came under fire for hosting a drag show in a park. Arkansas Democrat-gazette Staff And Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 5 Mar. 2023 The parking lot will be south of Holmes Avenue and west of Jordan Lane. Scott Turner | Sturner@al.com, al, 4 Mar. 2023 The company is building a big new factory that’s scheduled to open in Van Buren Township, west of Detroit, in 2024. Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 4 Mar. 2023 Months ago, organizers of a Pride festival in Jackson, west of Nashville, came under fire for hosting a drag show in a park. Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2023 The surrounding area includes a three-story apartment complex to the east, multi-dwelling unit complexes to both the south and west, and single- family homes to the north. Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2023 Students at Grinnell College and Iowa State University have also signed up to the walkout, according to Waverly Zhao, a senior at Johnston High School, just north west of Des Moines, and an IowaWTF co-founder. Jo Yurcaba, NBC News, 1 Mar. 2023 See More

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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of west was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near west

Cite this Entry

“West.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/west. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

west

1 of 3 adverb
: 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 : regions or countries west of a point that is mentioned or understood

Biographical Definition

West 1 of 4

biographical name (1)

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

More from Merriam-Webster on west

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