the point or direction midway between south and west. SW
a region in this direction.
the Southwest, the southwest region of the United States.
lying toward, situated in, or directed toward the southwest.
coming from the southwest, as a wind.
the point of the compass or the direction midway between west and south, 225° clockwise from north
any area lying in or towards this direction
(sometimes capital) of or denoting the southwestern part of a specified country, area, etc
southwest Italy
situated in or towards the southwest
(esp of the wind) from the southwest
before 900; Middle English; Old English sūthwest. See south, west
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Southwest is also up 24% over the same period.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
Wind advisories have been issued for areas across the Santa Barbara Southwest Coast through the I-5 Corridor between Monday night and early Tuesday morning, according to the weather service.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
If the ticket gets cheaper later, some carriers, including American, United, Delta and Southwest, may give you the difference in the form of a credit.
From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026
The river is a major water source for Southern California and much of the Southwest, but its largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, are severely depleted and their levels continue to drop.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
In Egypt as well, food production began in the sixth millennium B.C. with the arrival of Southwest Asian crops.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
