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↖️ Toward northwest 🧭 Northwest direction
northwestward

northwestward

3.1
The direction halfway between north and west on a compass
  • noun
  • /nɔrθˈwɛstwərd/
translation icon : noroeste
  • On the compass, 315 degrees points to the northwestward.

Examples

  • A strong wind was blowing from the northwestward all afternoon.

  • The explorers set their course toward the northwestward to reach the base camp.

  • The boat sailed northwestward across the lake.

  • We headed northwestward to reach the mountain range.

  • The hikers followed the trail in a northwestward direction to reach the summit of the mountain.

  • She pointed northwestward when asked which way the campsite was located.

  • The map indicated that the next town lay northwestward from their current position.

Synonyms

northwest
vsnorthwestward
  • Specialized
31 1.0

The compass direction halfway between north and west

refers only to the compass direction not to the wider region
NW
vsnorthwestward
29 2.3

The direction halfway between north and west on a map

is the full directional form rather than the short letter version
nor'-west
vsnorthwestward
  • Archaic
8.6

The compass point halfway between north and west

is the modern spelling without hyphen or contraction

Surface Forms

northwestward singular
northwestwards plural

Morphology

northwestward = northwest (transparent) = north + west + ward

The noun sense is formed by adding the directional suffix '-ward' to the common noun 'northwest', producing the meaning 'the direction toward northwest'.

Etymology

Northwestward is formed from north, west, and the part -ward, which means 'toward', like in forward. As a noun, northwestward names the direction halfway between north and west.