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onwards
/ ˈɒnwədz /
adverb
- at or towards a point or position ahead, in advance, etc
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Example Sentences
A thread of anxiety started its twist into my stomach as the bus wound ever onwards into the dense blackness of night.
But this will not mean that we drive ever onwards towards greater sexual freedom--rather, it will mean quite the reverse.
From the 80s onwards, after manufacturing collapsed, the inner cities were awash with hard drugs.
She soon graduated to singing, songwriting and after a couple of years she moved onwards and upwards.
She would not see the offered hand, but swept onwards with a cold curtsey, stopping just a moment to speak to her husband.
From this time onwards Aragon became the base from which was organised the conquest of Catalonia and Valencia.
From Castiglione onwards the soldiers of Augereau's division would do anything for their commander.
Bigyns, Beguines; these were members of certain lay sisterhoods in the Low Countries, from the twelfth century onwards.
In 207 onwards, Severus built a new wall along the line of Hadrian's rampart.
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More About Onwards
What does onwards mean?
Onwards means about the same thing as forward—toward a point ahead or in the future.
It is interchangeable with onward when onward is used as an adverb.
Onwards can be used in the context of travel through physical space or through time, but it is perhaps most commonly used when discussing progress toward a goal.
Onwards typically comes after the verb, as in We traveled onwards.
It can be used to refer to all the time after a certain point, as in These records are from 1950 onwards.
It can also be used as a kind of command or word of encouragement meaning something like move on, as in Onwards, scouts! We need to reach camp before nightfall.
Onwards appears in the phrase onwards and upwards, which is usually used in the context of progress or success.
Example: If we don’t keep moving onwards and innovating, we’ll never be able to compete in this market.
Where does onwards come from?
The first records of the word onward in its modern sense come from around the 1300s, and onwards is first recorded later. The suffix -wards is a variant of -ward, which indicates a direction based on the first part of the word. These suffixes are used in several other common words that indicate direction of movement through space or time, many of which can end in either suffix, such as toward/towards, backward/backwards, and afterward/afterwards. When words end in –wards, they’re often adverbs.
Sometimes, onwards can be used in the same way as on—travel onwards, travel on, move onwards, move on, go onwards, and go on can all mean just about the same thing. Still, -wards helps to emphasize direction and movement. In the case of onwards, this movement is usually toward a goal or completion of a task. When used in the context of travel toward a destination, it can sound a bit formal or poetic. But such expressions can be used metaphorically—to journey onwards can literally mean to continue traveling or it can mean to keep making progress toward a goal.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to onwards?
- onward (adverb)
What are some synonyms for onwards?
What are some words that share a root or word element with onwards?
What are some words that often get used in discussing onwards?
How is onwards used in real life?
Onwards is used less commonly than similar words like forward or ahead. It’s often associated with progress and success, especially when it’s used in the common expression onwards and upwards.
It's the last day of our #DUBQatar competition for flights for 2 to Doha. Experience this 5-star destination or travel onwards to over 160 destinations with @qatarairways & experience their award-winning service. Follow & RT to enter. pic.twitter.com/os441nrBB1
— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) May 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/JollyCricketers/status/65769048587243520
Today marks the first step in my journey to becoming a mental health nurse. Onwards and upwards 💜
— 🎃Baby Ghoul🎃 (@baby_ghoul_) September 29, 2020
Try using onwards!
True or False?
When onward is used as an adverb, it can be used interchangeably with onwards.
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