sternward

adverb

ˈstərn-wərd How to pronounce sternward (audio)
variants or sternwards
Definition of sternwardnext
as in backward
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sternward
  1. backward
  2. behind
  3. back
  4. aft
Adverb
  • Fifteen years ago, this timeline would have felt backwards, but this is largely how modern sports transactions unfold today.
    — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But the rappers reaching backward now are often pulling from a different archive.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of backward
Adverb
  • This is all debris left behind by comets that have passed by Earth and the sun.
    — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Meteor showers tend to put on dazzling celestial shows and happen at predictable times every year when the Earth plows through trails of debris left behind by comets and, sometimes, asteroids.
    — Adithi Ramakrishnan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of behind
Adverb
  • Some pulses penetrate gaps in the forest canopy and bounce off the ground, reflecting back to the sensors.
    — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 10 Aug. 2026
  • There’s certainly no route back to a more moderate form of leadership.
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of back
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
  • Bars and Restaurants The best seat in the house was aft, on the Lido deck, soaking up the Mediterranean sunshine with a flute of Champagne.
    — Helen Iatrou, Travel + Leisure, 30 Nov. 2023
Definition of aft
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

sterns
sternward
Stetson
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Cite this Entry

“Sternward.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sternward. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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