westward

1 of 2

adverb or adjective

west·​ward ˈwes-twərd 

: toward the west

westwards

ˈwes-twərdz 

adverb

westward

2 of 2

noun

: westward direction or part

sail to the westward

Examples of westward in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb or adjective

The shooter fled westward from the scene on foot, police said. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 28 June 2026

This elevated layer is then carried westward by strong easterly trade winds across the Atlantic. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 29 June 2026

Noun

The disturbance is expected to track westwards across the Atlantic as of reporting. — Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025

Troy was the starting point of Odysseus’s calamitous 10-year westward voyage, with many detours and misadventures, to his kingdom of Ithaca. — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb Or Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1596, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for westward

• northwestward
• southwestward

Kids Definition

westward

1 of 2 adverb or adjective

west·​ward ˈwes-twərd 

: toward the west

westwards

-twərdz 

adverb

westward

2 of 2 noun

: westward direction or part