Synonyms of onward

onward

adverb

ˈȯn-wərd 

variants also onwards

1

as in forward

toward a point ahead in space or time

we must continue to move onward, or we will die in this desert

Synonyms & Similar Words

• forward
• forth
• on
• ahead

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• backward

2

as in along

toward or at a point lying in advance in space or time

work on the project has been continuing onward at a steady pace

Synonyms & Similar Words

• forward
• along
• forwards
• forth
• ahead
• on
• before
• fore
• frontward

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• back
• backward
• behind
• rearward

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of onward

In Colombia’s Ciénaga Grande, roads and dikes disrupted the flow of seawater and freshwater from the 1950s onward, contributing to one of the largest mangrove die-offs on record. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

Then, from the sixteenth century onward, Christian philos-ophers and social reformers repeatedly engaged in thought experiments about classless Utopias. — Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026

This is the practical discipline of moving ever onward in the face of ambiguity. — Jeff Degraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026

Think about the patron of the arts from the Renaissance onwards. — John E. McDonough, STAT, 16 Oct. 2026