# westward

/ˈwɛstwɝd/ (US) · /wˈɛstwəd/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adverb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/westward
Updated: 2026-05-06

## Definition

toward the west. You use this to describe moving or looking in the direction where the sun sets.

For teachers: moving or directed toward the west.

## Examples

- The pioneers traveled westward across the plains.
- As the storm cleared, the hikers continued their journey westward toward the mountain range.
- The expansion of the railway system facilitated a massive westward migration, fundamentally altering the demographic and economic landscape of the continent within a single generation.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They moved to westward." but "They moved westward." — Westward is an adverb of direction and does not require the preposition 'to'.

## Usage notes

- Typically follows the verb of motion or sits at the end of the clause.

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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.