onward

American  

[on-werd, awn-] / ˈɒn wərd, ˈɔn- /

adverb

1. toward a point ahead or in front; forward, as in space or time.

   Antonyms:

   backward

2. at a position or point in advance.

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adjective

1. directed or moving onward or forward; forward.

   Antonyms:

   backward

onward British  

/ ˈɒnwəd /

adjective

1. directed or moving forwards, onwards, etc

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adverb

1. a variant of onwards

Usage

What does onward mean? Onward means about the same thing as forward—toward a point ahead or in the future. It can be used in the context of travel through physical space or through time, but it is perhaps most commonly used when discussing progress toward a goal. Onward can be used as either an adverb or an adjective. When used as an adverb, onward typically comes after the verb, as in We traveled onward. When onward is used as an adverb, it is interchangeable with onwards (which is only used as an adverb). It can be used to refer to all the time after a certain point, as in These records are from 1950 onward. It can also be used as a kind of command or word of encouragement meaning something like move on, as in Onward, scouts! We need to reach camp before nightfall. Onward appears in the phrase onward and upward, which is usually used in the context of progress or success. Example: If we don’t keep moving onward and innovating, we’ll never be able to compete in this market.

Related Words

See forward.

Etymology

Origin of onward

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; on, -ward

Example Sentences

The road ended, but the living systems it crossed moved steadily onward, already turning toward the next season.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

The South Korean steelmaker is likely to pass through February-March cost increases from 2Q onward, the analyst writes in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

"Customers are kindly requested to contact their local MSC office for details of the designated port and to confirm recovery or onward transport instructions," it said.

From Barron's • Mar. 9, 2026

They were able to drive to Oman for a flight to Istanbul, then make the onward journey to California in time for the prestigious ATP 1000 tournament in Indian Wells.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

I fix my eyes on a shell-hole; the moment the light dies I scurry over into it, grope farther, spring into the next, duck down, scramble onward.

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque