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

As exhausted as he felt, Duane pushed onward, up and over the river ridge and down the hilly path toward the Fabulous Beach.

From Literature

State Department, tourists must have a valid passport as well as proof of a return or onward ticket.

From Los Angeles Times

While these markets served as destination points for Chinese exports, they also became connector hubs allowing China to further “process” goods before shipping them onward to the U.S. market.

From MarketWatch

Evidence suggests that island residents were already coping with worsening drought conditions from the 16th century onward, a serious challenge on an island with scarce freshwater.

From Science Daily

The Spanish archipelago is the jumping off point for their continued journey onward to the European continent.

From Barron's