westward
/ˈwest.wəd/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈɛstwɚd] /ˈwest.wɚd/ (ame, ipa) · [wˈɛstwɚd] /ˈwes-twərd How to pronounce westward (audio)/ (ame, mw) · /ˈwestwəd/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈɛstwɚd] /ˈwestwərd/ (ame, ipa)
westward — adverb
1. moving, looking, or facing in the direction of the west
moving, looking, or facing in the direction of the west
Pim drove westward along the coastal highway at sunset.
collocation: drive westward
Layla booked a flight heading westward to visit her grandmother in California.
collocation: head westward
The storm moved westward across the Atlantic for three days.
Each spring, thousands of birds fly westward to their nesting grounds in Canada.
- west
Shorter, more direct; preferred in everyday speech ('go west' not 'go westward')
- to the west
Slightly more explicit about the destination point; interchangeable with 'westward' in most contexts
- eastward
Toward the opposite direction
用法筆記
In everyday conversation 'west' or 'to the west' is more common. 'Westward' appears more often in written descriptions, especially in narratives about travel, migration, or weather patterns.
常見錯誤
westward — adjective
- westwardpositive
- more westwardcomparative
- most westwardsuperlative
1. going, leading, or heading in the direction of the west — used before a noun to
going, leading, or heading in the direction of the west — used before a noun to describe a route, journey, vehicle, or wind
The westward route through the mountains was steep and dangerous.
collocation: westward route
Yuna watched the westward train disappear around the bend.
collocation: westward train
A strong westward wind pushed the sailboat far off its original course.
The westward expansion of the railroad changed the American economy forever.
- westbound
More specific — used for vehicles, roads, and journeys that have a fixed destination; sounds more natural in modern English
- westerly
Usually describes wind or currents; implies coming FROM or moving TOWARD the west depending on context
- western
Describes location or culture of the west, not movement toward it — a 'western route' is in the west, a 'westward route' goes toward the west
用法筆記
This adjective is almost always used before a noun (attributive position), not after a linking verb. You write 'the westward journey' but NOT 'the journey is westward' — use 'westbound' or 'heading west' instead in predicate position.
常見錯誤
westward — noun
1. the direction toward the west, or the area located in that direction — usually u
the direction toward the west, or the area located in that direction — usually used after the preposition 'to'
The ship changed course to the westward after the storm finally passed.
pattern: to the westward
Leo pointed to the westward where the last light of sunset still glowed.
The travelers could hear thunder rumbling from the westward as they made camp for the night.
From the hilltop, Nkechi could see a great forest stretching to the westward.
- west
The standard, everyday word for the direction; 'west' is far more common and natural in all registers
- eastward
The direction toward the east, used with the same formal register pattern
用法筆記
The noun 'westward' is rare in modern everyday English. It is used chiefly in formal or literary writing, almost always with 'the' in set phrases such as 'to the westward' or 'from the westward'. In ordinary conversation, simply use 'the west' instead.