Word
southward
Phoneticssouth·ward, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsaʊθwɝd/
UK/sˈaʊθwəd/
Adverb of place
In Japanese
the south; southward; southern direction
Japanese from JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0. All sources.
Definition
adv. moving or facing toward the south. You use this to describe a direction of travel or the way something points.
adv. moving, facing, or directed toward the south. Typically modifies verbs of motion or orientation.
Examples
“The birds fly southward for the winter.”
“After crossing the border, the hikers continued southward until they reached the edge of the forest.”
“The expedition shifted its focus southward, hoping to find more hospitable terrain before the onset of the heavy seasonal rains.”
Examples
simple
“The birds fly southward for the winter.”
contextual
“After crossing the border, the hikers continued southward until they reached the edge of the forest.”
complex
“The expedition shifted its focus southward, hoping to find more hospitable terrain before the onset of the heavy seasonal rains.”
Usage
Typically placed after the verb or at the end of the clause.
Pitfall
He lives in the southward part of town
He lives in the southern part of town
Southward describes direction of movement or orientation; southern is the adjective used to describe a fixed location.
Real-World Examples
“But it soon began curving around the Arctic Ocean arriving in Iceland in the early evening before sweeping southwards to treat the UK to part of its wonder.” “After the water cools and becomes denser, it sinks and flows southward along the ocean floor.” “In the winter of 2010, strong winds brought some sargassum southward from the Sargasso Sea to the tropical Atlantic.” “Their goal was to determine exactly where the stone came from and whether glaciers could have carried it southward during the last Ice Age.” Etymology
From south + -ward.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Pre-1
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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