What does northward mean?
“Northward” means toward the north, describing a direction of movement rather than simply a location in the northern part of a place. It is commonly used with verbs such as “move,” “head,” “travel,” and “fly,” as in “The aircraft flew northward.” The adjective form, as in “a northward journey,” is also established, though less frequent in everyday conversation. In informal speech, speakers often use the simpler word “north”: “We went north” is more natural than “We went northward” for many contexts. The word is useful in writing because it clearly emphasizes movement or orientation toward the north, especially in descriptions of journeys, migrations, winds, weather systems, and exploration. It appears in both British and American English, with no major regional difference in meaning.
In or toward the direction of the north.
"The ships sailed northward beneath a clear sky."
Common in formal and descriptive writing; in everyday speech, “north” is often preferred.
Moving toward or oriented in the direction of the north.
"They began a northward journey before dawn."
Less common than the adverb form but standard in formal English.
The word “northward” points in a direction, not a location: it means toward north rather than simply “in the north.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does northward come from?
“Northward” was formed in English by combining “north” with the Old English directional suffix “-ward,” meaning “in the direction of.” The suffix survives in several English words, including “forward,” “backward,” and “toward,” and related forms such as “northern” and “northerly” also reflect the same northern root.
How northward is actually used
“Northward” is formal and especially common in writing about travel, movement, and geography. In everyday speech, “north” is often used instead: “We drove north”.
Easily confused with northward
“Northward” means toward the north, whereas “northerly” usually means coming from or relating to the north.