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Synonyms

seaward

American  
[see-werd] / ˈsi wərd /

adverb

  1. Also seawards. toward the sea.

    a storm moving seaward.

adjective

  1. facing or tending toward the sea.

    a seaward course.

  2. coming from the sea.

    a seaward wind.

noun

  1. the direction toward the sea or away from the land.

seaward British  
/ ˈsiːwəd /

adverb

  1. a variant of seawards

"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

adjective

  1. directed or moving towards the sea

  2. (esp of a wind) coming from the sea

"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 seaward

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at sea, -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.

Recognizing that geography still matters, they extended their defensive periphery seaward, initially to the first island chain, from Japan to the South China Sea, and then to the second chain and beyond.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

The Brunt experienced a rapid acceleration in its seaward movement after the loss of A74 and A81.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2024

Though California generally owns the beach seaward from the mean high tide line, private owners can still claim beach property.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2023

Those dagger rifts could keep lengthening until they intersect with the rising trenches advancing seaward from shore.

From Scientific American • Oct. 18, 2022

The wind and waves pushed us steadily seaward.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

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.