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Synonyms

earthward

American  
[urth-werd] / ˈɜrθ wərd /

adverb

  1. Also earthwards. toward the earth.


adjective

  1. directed toward the earth.

earthward British  
/ ˈɜːθwəd /

adjective

  1. directed towards the earth

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. a variant of earthwards

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of earthward

First recorded in 1350–1400, earthward is from the Middle English word ertheward. See earth, -ward

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Walk around the lumbering, top-heavy “Adam,” whose powerful hand echoes Michelangelo’s Sistine ceiling but instead points earthward, and you don’t get a sense of inspired, ideal form, but of matter, growth and transformation.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 11, 2026

But it was also an act of rebellion – a defiant act of art that boldly rejected the darkness and fear that had kept Europeans gazing earthward for generations.

From Fox News Apr. 16, 2019

Heavy smoke choked the air and bits of white ash from the Atlas Peak fire drifted earthward Monday morning as he fretted over the fate of the house his parents bought three decades ago.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 10, 2017

Yet as appealing as it is to see these marquee names pulled earthward, Jackson realizes that she can’t let them descend too far.

From Slate Nov. 11, 2016

Never the flaming eye of Helios lights on those men at morning, when he climbs the sky of stars, nor in descending earthward out of heaven; ruinous night being rove over those wretches.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer

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