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southward

American  
[south-werd, suhth-erd] / ˈsaʊθ wərd, ˈsʌð ərd /

adjective

  1. moving, bearing, facing, or situated toward the south.

  2. coming from the south, as a wind.


adverb

  1. Also southwards. toward the south; south.

noun

  1. the southward part, direction, or point.

southward British  
/ ˈsaʊθwəd, ˈsʌðəd /

adjective

  1. situated, directed, or moving towards the south

"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

noun

  1. the southward part, direction, etc; the south

"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

adverb

  1. a variant of southwards

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of southward

before 900; Middle English; Old English sūth weard. See south, -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.

See Examples For:

A report published in December noted that hantavirus’ range in that country was moving southward.

From Los Angeles Times May 14, 2026

Forces at Mali's Tessalit military base, a "super-camp" near the Algerian border, surrendered and were scattering southward, an official from the Tuareg-dominated FLA separatist group told AFP.

From Barron's May 1, 2026

“The presence of these fossils in Colorado suggests that archaic primates originated in the north and then spread southward, diversifying soon after the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period,” adds Dr. Chester.

From Science Daily Mar. 3, 2026

As colder Arctic air gradually extends southward across the UK on Friday and Saturday, sunshine will return for some.

From BBC Feb. 12, 2026

The quiet waters of the river washed gently southward.

From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya

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