northward
adv. placeadv. toward the north. You use this to describe the direction someone or something is moving.
adv. in a direction toward the north. Often functions as a directional modifier for verbs of motion.
The birds fly northward every spring.
The hikers continued northward along the ridge until they reached the summit of the mountain.
As the storm front shifted northward, the coastal towns prepared for heavy rain and high winds that were expected to last throughout the night.
From north + -ward.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Can be used as an adverb or an adjective; as an adverb, it typically follows the verb of motion.
They traveled to northwardThey traveled northwardNorthward is an adverb of direction and does not require the preposition 'to' before it.
Last updated May 7, 2026