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

• towardness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of toward

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

Example Sentences

Toward the end of his senior year, his mom saw a job opening at work and encouraged him to apply.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Toward the end of Netflix’s “Into the Manosphere,” documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux chats in Marbella, Spain, with British influencer Ed Matthews.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

Toward the end of his presentation, Ritchie lamented the police department’s struggle to reopen cold cases such as McAdams’.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

Toward the end of the flyby, the astronauts will experience a rare phenomenon: a solar eclipse.

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

Toward the church they thronged with slow sabbath deliberation, the women and children went on in, the men stopped outside and talked in quiet groups until the bell ceased ringing.

From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner