# onwards

/ˈɑnwɝdz/ (US) · /ˈɒnwədz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/onwards
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. from a point in time

adverb · CEFR B2

from a specific time and continuing into the future.

For teachers: indicating a continuous progression in time starting from a specific point.

- From the second week of the course onwards, we will focus on practical skills.
- 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. moving forward in space

adverb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

moving further ahead or towards a destination.

For teachers: indicating physical movement or direction toward a point ahead.

- The hikers pushed onwards despite the heavy rain and wind.
- 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'.

## Examples

- The museum is open from 9 a.m. onwards.
- From the second week of the course onwards, students are expected to lead their own research discussions.
- The policy changes implemented in the late nineties onwards fundamentally restructured how the local government allocated resources to rural infrastructure projects.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.