English Reference
adverb · adjective

onward

adv. · adj.
US /ˈɔnwɝd/ UK /ˈɒnwəd/ on·ward

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adv.moving forward or towards a place that is further ahead.

    adv.in a forward direction; toward a point ahead in space.

    Simple

    The hikers pushed onward despite the heavy rain and wind.

    In context

    The expedition pressed onward through the dense jungle, determined to reach the ruins before the seasonal rains made the paths impassable.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adv.continuing from a specific time into the future.

    adv.continuing from a specified point in time; often used in the phrase 'from [time] onward'.

    Simple

    From the 1920s onward, the city grew very quickly.

    In context

    From the mid-nineteenth century onward, industrialisation fundamentally reshaped the social fabric of the northern provinces.

    Usage

    Commonly follows a time expression preceded by 'from'.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Formal

    adj.describes a movement that is going forward.

    adj.directed or moving forward; typically used before a noun.

    Simple

    The onward movement of the crowd carried us toward the exit.

    In context

    The onward march of technology has rendered many traditional manufacturing processes obsolete within a single generation.

He started to score, 10 goals he scored from March onward, late in the season.

BBC News· 3 Sept 2026

From on + -ward.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated