What does westward mean?
Westward is a directional word meaning toward the west or in the direction of the west. It is most often used as an adverb, as in “They traveled westward,” but it can also modify a noun: “a westward journey.” The adjective sense emphasizes something directed or facing west, while the less common noun sense denotes the direction itself. Westward appears frequently in descriptions of travel, exploration, migration, settlement, and territorial expansion, lending such contexts a formal, literary, or historical character. In everyday speech, speakers may simply say “west” or “toward the west,” but westward remains useful when the direction of movement or orientation needs emphasis. Its transparent structure—west plus the Germanic directional suffix -ward—makes it part of a familiar English family that also includes eastward, northward, and southward. The word is standard in both British and American English, though “westwards” is also widely used in British usage.
Toward or in the direction of the west.
"The caravan moved westward as the sun began to set."
Common in standard British and American English; “westwards” is a common British variant.
Directed, facing, or oriented toward the west.
"The ship altered its westward course before the storm reached it."
Often used in travel, geographical, and historical descriptions.
The direction toward the west.
"The ship altered course to the westward."
Literary or archaic compared with the adverb and adjective uses.
Westward is a compass point in motion: it transparently combines “west” with the directional suffix “-ward.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does westward come from?
Westward developed from Old English westweard, meaning “toward the west,” formed from west and the Germanic element -weard, “toward.” West itself comes from a Germanic word for the direction of the setting sun. The modern form passed through Middle English, and related directional constructions later appeared in other Germanic languages.
Related word forms
How westward is actually used
Westward is especially common in literary, historical, and geographical writing. In ordinary conversation, “west” or “toward the west” is often more natural.
Easily confused with westward
Westwards is a variant adverb ending in -s, especially common in British English, while westward is the standard form in both British and American usage.
Westward directly describes movement toward the west, whereas westerly more often means relating to the west or coming from the west.