onward

1 of 2

adverb

on·​ward ˈȯn-wərd How to pronounce onward (audio)
ˈän-
variants or less commonly onwards
ˈȯn-wərdz How to pronounce onward (audio)
ˈän-
Synonyms of onwardnext
: toward or at a point lying ahead in space or time : forward

onward

2 of 2

adjective

: directed or moving onward : forward

Synonyms of onward

Relevance

Adverb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of onward in a Sentence

Adverb They have lived in that house from 1983 onward. we must continue to move onward, or we will die in this desert
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
This is the practical discipline of moving ever onward in the face of ambiguity. — Jeff Degraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026 As Falcon 9's booster began the journey to its landing zone, the rocket's second stage continued onward to orbit with Dragon and the capsule's 6,300 pounds (2,860 kilograms) of cargo for the ISS. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Adjective
The legal and political obstacles to taking custody of those assets for onward transfer to Ukraine may be too formidable to resolve in time to help Kyiv in the coming year. — Eric Ciaramella, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2026 From there, associates allegedly arranged onward shipments into China. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for onward

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of onward was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing onward

Browse Nearby Words

on waivers
onward
onward and upward
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Onward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onward. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

onward

1 of 2 adverb
on·​ward ˈȯn-wərd How to pronounce onward (audio)
ˈän-
variants also onwards
-wərdz How to pronounce onward (audio)
: toward or at a point lying ahead in space or time : forward
kept moving onward

onward

2 of 2 adjective
: directed or moving onward
the onward march of time
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