variants or sternwards
as in backwards
near, toward, or in the stern of a ship or the tail of an aircraft a flight attendant hurried sternward to attend to the disturbance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sternward
Adverb
  • California’s legal fight to get those funds back–which hadn’t been spent–will take months if not years to resolve.
    Alan Ohnsman, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Inflation has ticked up in recent months, rekindling price concerns that stretch back to a pandemic-era explosion of household costs.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • The man then smiled and asked him a question that was so unexpected that the teenager involuntarily took several steps backward.
    John Blake, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Annett threw a backwards pass to Dorsett Stecker who threw a 33-yard touchdown to James to give the Sea Kings a 28-21 lead.
    Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • Also of note is the Dusk Bar, which sits aft on Deck 10 and is stocked with interesting spirits.
    David Swanson, Travel + Leisure, 27 May 2024
  • Open exterior decks forward and aft allow for a steady sea breeze, as the owner—who was last aboard his yacht in the summer of 2021—used to regularly enjoy.
    Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sternward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sternward. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!