ENGLISH
REFERENCE

onwards

adv.
US //ˈɑnwɝdz// UK //ˈɒnwədz// on·wards
  1. 1 from a point in time (adv.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    from a specific time and continuing into the future.

    indicating a continuous progression in time starting from a specific point.

    Example

    From the second week of the course onwards, we will focus on practical skills.

    Example

    From the mid-nineteenth century onwards, the rapid expansion of the railway network fundamentally transformed the nation's internal trade routes.

    Usage

    often follows a time expression like 'from the 1990s onwards'.

  2. 2 moving forward in space (adv.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Literary

    moving further ahead or towards a destination.

    indicating physical movement or direction toward a point ahead.

    Example

    The hikers pushed onwards despite the heavy rain and wind.

    Example

    The expedition pressed onwards toward the summit, undeterred by the thinning oxygen and the increasingly treacherous terrain.

    Usage

    less common in modern speech than 'onward' or 'forward'.

Origin

From on + -wards.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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