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• west
  west

  noun

  a cardinal point of the compass, 90° to the left when facing north, corresponding to the point where the sun is seen to set. W
• West
  West

  noun

  Benjamin, 1738–1820, U.S. painter, in England after 1763.
• West.
  West.

  abbreviation

  western.

west

¹ American  

[west] / wɛst /

noun

1. a cardinal point of the compass, 90° to the left when facing north, corresponding to the point where the sun is seen to set. W

2. the direction in which this point lies.

3. (usually initial capital letter) a region or territory situated in this direction, especially the western part of the U.S., as distinguished from the East.

   a vacation trip through the West.

4. the West,

   1. the western part of the world, as distinguished from the East or Orient; the Occident.

   2. the non-Communist countries of Western Europe and the Americas.

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adjective

1. directed or proceeding toward the west.

2. coming from the west.

   a west wind.

3. lying toward or situated in the west.

4. Ecclesiastical. designating, lying toward, or in that part of a church opposite to and farthest from the altar.

adverb

1. to, toward, or in the west.

   The car headed west.

2. from the west.

   The wind blew west.

idioms

1. go west, to die.

West ² American  

[west] / wɛst /

noun

1. Benjamin, 1738–1820, U.S. painter, in England after 1763.

2. Jerome Alan Jerry, born 1938, U.S. basketball player, coach, and executive.

3. Mae, 1893–1980, U.S. actress.

4. Nathanael Nathan Wallenstein Weinstein, 1902?–40, U.S. novelist.

5. Paul, 1930–2015, U.S. poet, essayist, and novelist, born in England.

6. Dame Rebecca Cicily Isabel Fairfield Andrews, 1892–1983, English novelist, journalist, and critic, born in Ireland.

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West. ³ American  

Or west.

abbreviation

1. western.

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west ¹ British  

/ wɛst /

noun

1. one of the four cardinal points of the compass, 270° clockwise from north and 180° from east

2. the direction along a parallel towards the sunset, at 270° clockwise from north

3. (often capital) any area lying in or towards the west

4. cards (usually capital) the player or position at the table corresponding to west on the compass

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adjective

1. situated in, moving towards, or facing the west

2. (esp of the wind) from the west

adverb

1. in, to, or towards the west

2. archaic (of the wind) from the west

3. informal

   1. to be lost or destroyed irrevocably

   2. to die

West ² British  

/ wɛst /

noun

1. the western part of the world contrasted historically and culturally with the East or Orient; the Occident

2. (formerly) the non-Communist countries of Europe and America contrasted with the Communist states of the East Compare East

3. 1. that part of the US lying approximately to the west of the Mississippi

   2. (during the Colonial period) the region outside the 13 colonies, lying mainly to the west of the Alleghenies

4. (in the ancient and medieval world) the Western Roman Empire and, later, the Holy Roman Empire

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adjective

1. 1. of or denoting the western part of a specified country, area, etc

   2. ( as part of a name )

      the West Coast

west ³ British  

/ wɛst /

noun

1. Benjamin. 1738–1820, US painter, in England from 1763

2. Kanye , born 1977, US rap singer and producer; his albums include The College Dropout (2004) and Graduation (2007)

3. Mae. 1892–1980, US film actress

4. Nathanael, real name Nathan Weinstein. 1903–40, US novelist: author of Miss Lonely-Hearts (1933) and The Day of the Locust (1939)

5. Dame Rebecca, real name Cicily Isabel Andrews (née Fairfield ). 1892–1983, British journalist, novelist, and critic

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west More Idioms  

1. see go west.

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Etymology

Origin of west

First recorded before 900; from Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch, German west, Old Norse vestr; compare French ouest, Old French from Old English

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

west West West.

Ludwing Mercado, Repsol's operations manager for Venezuela, said the company aimed to increase oil production by 50 percent in its oil fields in the country's west.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

Germany was focused on striking a knockout blow against France in the west, while Austria-Hungary massed its troops against Serbia to the south.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

I’m single now, so we’re back in the g— wild west with it,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

The rocket is aiming to make six orbits of Earth for the first time during a 10-hour flight, before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean to the west of Chile.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

“I can track anything once I have its scent, and I know your grandmother’s scent by heart. However, if she were anywhere in these kingdoms, either east or west, I would have sensed it already.”

From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley

Brent for December delivery was around $97.60 a barrel -- the November contract closed at more than $103 -- while West Texas Intermediate was hovering below $90.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

Oldham in Greater Manchester, Bradford and Keighley in West Yorkshire and London were announced as the first locations for local investigations earlier this year.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

Front-month West Texas Intermediate November futures traded 1.3% higher at $90.49 a barrel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

Mwedziwendira is now figuring out how to build her West Coast clientele after starting EP Studio, a Washington, D.C., creative studio and PR firm, a year ago.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026

Lincoln carried her briefcase to the West Wing, a separate building begun by Teddy Roosevelt in 1902 when the White House ran out of room for staff.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

“And maybe I’ll meet a Kardashian or a West. Maybe this will be what skyrockets my career and my life.”

From Salon ● Sep. 30, 2024

Perhaps most importantly, Boutt points out, "What we see in the Dry Andes is representative of hydrology in all extremely arid regions -- including the U.S. West. It's not limited to lithium mining, either."

From Science Daily ● Apr. 3, 2024

"But I'm sad for the young men, for everyone, who've been killed. We certainly don't need war with the West. Our people have seen nothing but war, war, war all their lives."

From BBC ● Feb. 22, 2024

In August 2021, SEC chair Gary Gensler said investors weren’t adequately protected in crypto markets, calling them more like the “ Wild West. ”

From Washington Times ● Jun. 17, 2023

“They know that Mount Othrys is rising in the West. They know of Atlas’s attempt for freedom, and the gathering armies of Kronos. We have voted to act.”

From "The Titan's Curse" by Rick Riordan