towards
- 01 A2 Elementary
prep.in the direction of someone or something.
prep.indicating the direction in which someone or something moves or faces.
Simple“The children ran towards the ice cream truck as soon as they heard the music.”
In context“The hikers continued their ascent towards the summit, despite the darkening clouds gathering on the horizon.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
prep.getting close to a specific time or event.
prep.indicating proximity in time; getting near to a particular point or period.
Simple“The weather usually gets much colder towards the end of October.”
In context“Towards the conclusion of the nineteenth century, industrial cities underwent a period of rapid and often chaotic expansion.”
Synonymsnearclose to - 03 B1 Intermediate
prep.used to say what something is for, especially when giving money.
prep.contributing to a goal, fund, or specific outcome.
Simple“We are all saving money towards a new car for the family.”
In context“The proceeds from the charity auction will go towards the construction of a new community library in the village center.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
prep.your feeling or behavior regarding someone or something.
prep.in relation to; regarding a specific person, group, or subject.
Simple“The manager has a very positive attitude towards new ideas from the staff.”
In context“Public sentiment towards the proposed legislation shifted significantly following the publication of the environmental impact report.”
Synonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
adv.moving in the direction of something already mentioned.
adv.in the direction of a previously specified point or object.
Simple“He looked at the distant mountains and began to walk towards.”
In context“The ship sailed steadily towards, guided only by the faint glimmer of the lighthouse on the rocky coast.”
UsageUsually occurs at the end of a clause in literary contexts; 'toward' is more common in American English.
From Middle English towardes, from Old English tōweardes, tōwærdes, equivalent to toward + -s (adverbial suffix).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.