toward

American  

[tawrd, tohrd, tuh-wawrd, twawrd, twohrd, tawrd, tohrd] / tɔrd, toʊrd, təˈwɔrd, twɔrd, twoʊrd, tɔrd, toʊrd /

preposition

1. in the direction of.

   to walk toward the river.

2. with a view to obtaining or having; for.

   They're saving money toward a new house.

3. in the area or vicinity of; near.

   Our cabin is toward the top of the hill.

4. turned to; facing.

   Her back was toward me.

5. shortly before; close to.

   toward midnight.

6. as a help or contribution to.

   to give money toward a person's expenses.

7. with respect to; as regards.

   his attitude toward women.

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adjective

1. about to come soon; imminent.

2. going on; in progress; afoot.

   There is work toward.

3. propitious; favorable.

4. Obsolete.

   1. promising or apt, as a student.

   2. compliant; docile.

toward British  

adjective

1. rare in progress; afoot

2. obsolete about to happen; imminent

3. obsolete promising or favourable

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preposition

1. a variant of towards

toward Idioms  

1. see go a long way toward.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• towardness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of toward

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English tōweard; equivalent to to + -ward

Example Sentences

Quarters that once housed thousands of veterans were closed in the 1970s as the VA mission shifted toward medical care after World War II.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

June, whose portfolio leans heavily toward tech giants such as Apple, Oracle and Intel, is one of those vying for SpaceX shares.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

That could open the door for a rotation toward those with steadier cash flows, reasonable valuations, recognizable brands, and clear paths to margin recovery.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

That is starting to change, however, as more companies invest in sodium-ion batteries with an eye toward better performance in cold climates and reducing exposure to volatility from lithium prices, the IEA said.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

Shaking her head, she pushes it back toward the other side of the shift.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith