eastward

1 of 2

adverb or adjective

east·​ward ˈēst-wərd How to pronounce eastward (audio)
: toward the east
eastwards
ˈēst-wərdz How to pronounce eastward (audio)
adverb

eastward

2 of 2

noun

: eastward direction or part
sail to the eastward

Examples of eastward in a Sentence

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 or adjective
During an El Niño, those winds slacken, and the warm water slides eastward, leading to waters becoming generally one to two degrees Celsius above normal in the area around the Galápagos. — Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026 Recent shifts to where the IDL is drawn include when it was pulled eastward to accommodate Kiribati, which wanted the entirety of the country under the same date. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
The Farmers’ Almanac expects an active storm pattern across the southern United States, with above-normal precipitation possible from California and the Southwest eastward through Texas, the Gulf Coast and the Southeast. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 Within a few seconds, the 408-foot-tall (124-meter) rocket, the largest ever built, cleared the launch tower and turned onto an eastward heading over the Gulf of Mexico. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for eastward

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb Or Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Rhymes for eastward

See All Rhymes for eastward

Browse Nearby Words

East Timorese
eastward
eastwardly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Eastward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eastward. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

eastward

1 of 2 adverb or adjective
east·​ward ˈēs-twərd How to pronounce eastward (audio)
: toward the east
eastwardly adverb or adjective
eastwards
-twərdz How to pronounce eastward (audio)
adverb

eastward

2 of 2 noun
: eastward direction or part
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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