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Synonyms

northbound

American  
[nawrth-bound] / ˈnɔrθˌbaʊnd /

adjective

  1. going toward the north.

    northbound traffic.
northbound British  
/ ˈnɔːθˌbaʊnd /

adjective

  1. going or leading towards the north

"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 northbound

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; north + -bound 2

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.

All northbound lanes between Channel Street and Harry Bridges Boulevard were still closed Wednesday.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Angel was riding his scooter on the sidewalk northbound along San Antonio Avenue at about 2:30 p.m. when he attempted to cross the street and was struck by a car driving south.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

Police said they were notified of the missing statue at 20:00 GMT and that the suspects were last seen traveling northbound towards Bromley-by-Bow Underground station.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

A 25-year-old man was killed early Sunday morning in a five-car crash on the northbound 5 Freeway near Griffith Park, officials said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 18, 2026

We’re sent in teams of two to search cars on the northbound side of the freeway, maybe a quarter mile up, because all the closer cars have already been inspected.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.