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• northeast
  northeast

  noun

  a point on the compass midway between north and east. NE
• Northeast
  Northeast

  noun

  the northeastern part of England, esp Northumberland, Durham, and the Tyneside area

northeast

American  

[nawrth-eest, nawr-eest] / ˌnɔrθˈist, ˌnɔrˈist /

noun

1. a point on the compass midway between north and east. NE

2. a region in this direction.

3. the Northeast, the northeastern part of the United States.

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adverb

1. toward or in the northeast.

   sailing northeast.

adjective

1. coming from the northeast.

   a northeast wind.

2. directed toward the northeast.

   a northeast course.

northeast ¹ British  

/ ˌnɔːθˈiːst, ˌnɔːrˈiːst /

noun

1. the point of the compass or direction midway between north and east, 45° clockwise from north

2. (often capital) any area lying in or towards this direction

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adjective

1. (sometimes capital) of or denoting the northeastern part of a specified country, area, etc

   northeast Lincolnshire

2. situated in, proceeding towards, or facing the northeast

3. (esp of the wind) from the northeast

adverb

1. in, to, towards, or (esp of the wind) from the northeast

Northeast ² British  

/ ˌnɔːθˈiːst /

noun

1. the northeastern part of England, esp Northumberland, Durham, and the Tyneside area

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Other Word Forms

• northeastern
  adjective
• northeasternmost
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of northeast

before 950; Middle English, Old English; see north, east

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

northeast Northeast

The SDF amassed around 100,000 fighters at its peak, both Kurds and Arabs, and controlled swathes of Syria's oil-rich north and northeast.

From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026

Hengli picked the remote island of Changxing, in China’s northeast, to set up operations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

"It was clear from the start that this animal began walking toward the northeast, completed a full loop, and then finished facing the same direction again," Dr. Romilio said.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026

Sonja Leverkus' team in northeast British Columbia has purchased their own firefighting gear with the help of donations and grants.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

They were probably heading for the port city of Epidram, situated in the northeast corner of Oxscini.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee

Did you know Amtrak offers discounts on late night and early morning trains in coach on the Northeast corridor?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

He plans to go to college in the Northeast, preferably a city with a good transit system.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

I got to see what a Northeast thunderstorm was like and see the big hill that kids slide down.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026

Tornadoes, heavy rain and powerful winds battered the Northeast, through Atlantic Beach in Long Island, New York and knocked out power across parts of Delaware’s capital.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

Seabiscuit shipped all over the Northeast, never stayed more than two or three weeks in one place, averaged one race every five days, and racked up losses to inferior horses practically every time out.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand