Word
toward
Phoneticsto·ward
US/ˈtɔɹd/
UK/tʊwˈɔːd/
Definitions
01in a direction
prep. moving in the direction of someone or something.
prep. in the direction of; moving or facing a specific point.
“The children ran toward the ice cream truck as soon as they heard the music.”
“The storm clouds moved steadily toward the coast, prompting local authorities to issue a high-wind warning for the evening.”
American English
Usage
In American English, 'toward' is the standard form, while 'towards' is preferred in British English.
Antonyms
02regarding someone or something
prep. having a specific feeling or attitude about someone or something.
prep. in relation to; regarding a specific person, object, or concept.
“She has always felt very friendly toward her new neighbors.”
“The public's attitude toward the new tax legislation remains largely skeptical despite the government's efforts to explain the benefits.”
American English
Synonyms
03near a time
prep. getting close to a specific time or event.
prep. approaching a specific point in time.
“It started to get much colder toward the end of the afternoon.”
“Toward the end of the nineteenth century, industrialization began to transform the rural landscape at an unprecedented pace.”
American English
04contributing to a goal
prep. giving money or effort to help achieve something.
prep. contributing to or for the purpose of attaining a specific aim or result.
“They are saving money toward a down payment on a new house.”
“The grant money will go toward funding new research into renewable energy sources over the next three years.”
American English
05impending or coming
adj. something that is about to happen soon.
adj. approaching or impending; currently at hand or in progress.
“The scouts warned the village that a great change was toward.”
“There was a sense of mischief toward in the quiet halls of the manor that night.”
Archaic · Literary
Teaching tip
This adjective use is extremely rare in modern English; learners will likely only encounter it in Shakespeare or older literature.
Etymology
From Middle English toward, from Old English tōweard, from Proto-West Germanic *tōward, equivalent to to + -ward. Cognate with Middle Low German tôwart, Middle Dutch toewaert (Modern Dutch toewaarts), Middle High German zuowart, zūwart (Modern German zuwärts). Compare also Middle English tilward, tillward (“toward”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/toward