northwest

1 of 3

adverb

north·​west nȯrth-ˈwest How to pronounce northwest (audio)
nautical
nȯr-ˈwest How to pronounce northwest (audio)
: to, toward, or in the northwest

northwest

2 of 3

adjective

1
: coming from the northwest
a northwest wind
2
: situated toward or at the northwest
the northwest corner

northwest

3 of 3

noun

1
a
: the general direction between north and west
b
: the point midway between the north and west compass points
2
Northwest : regions or countries lying to the northwest of a specified or implied point of orientation

Examples of northwest in a Sentence

Adverb It's about 80 miles northwest of here. I headed northwest on Route 1. Adjective the northwest corner of the building Noun A mountain range is in the northwest of the country. We traveled throughout the Northwest.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
Baidoa, about 245 kilometers (150 miles) northwest of Mogadishu, is a major humanitarian hub and hosts more than half a million people displaced by conflict and drought. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 Havana, a small town 16 miles northwest of Tallahassee with a population of 1,753, was approved for six cameras for $57,900. — Ana Goñi-Lessan, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
Adjective
The Welcome Center is northwest of Mount Airy, about a 100-mile drive north from uptown Charlotte. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2026 Operating in the metropolitan areas of Dallas-Fort Worth, Phoenix, northwest Arkansas and Toronto, Gatik’s 26- and 30-foot trucks run nearly 24 hours a day. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
The facility, Kirishi Petroleum Organic Synthesis, is one of Russia’s largest oil refineries and the only one in the country’s northwest. — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026 Winds will shift to the west and northwest at 5 to 10 mph and could be gusty at times. — Lauren Bostwick, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for northwest

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of northwest was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing northwest

Rhymes for northwest

See All Rhymes for northwest

Browse Nearby Words

northwards
northwest
North West
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Northwest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/northwest. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

northwest

1 of 3 adverb
north·​west nȯrth-ˈwest How to pronounce northwest (audio)
nautical
nȯr-ˈwest How to pronounce northwest (audio)
: to or toward the northwest

northwest

2 of 3 noun
1
: the direction between north and west
2
capitalized : the regions or countries northwest of a point that is mentioned or understood

northwest

3 of 3 adjective
1
: coming from the northwest
a northwest wind
2
: placed or lying toward or at the northwest
the northwest corner

Geographical Definition

North West

geographical name

variants or Noordwes
ˌnȯrd-ˈwes How to pronounce North West (audio)
ˌnȯrt-
province of the northern part of the Republic of South Africa bordering Botswana area 44,861 square miles (116,190 square kilometers)

More from Merriam-Webster on northwest

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about northwest

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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