1
: coming from the northwest
a northwest wind
2
: situated toward or at the northwest
the northwest corner
1
a
: the general direction between north and west
b
: the point midway between the north and west compass points
2
capitalized
: 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
Megan Cardona, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2024
The Texas Eclipse Festival in Burnet County, 50 miles northwest of Austin, included bands and other events to begin Sunday and wrap up Tuesday.
—USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
Police responded to the crash at 11: 20 p.m.
A statement from police said a 24-year-old man driving a 2019 Honda Civic was traveling northwest on Harrison Avenue when the driver of a southbound 2016 Toyota Scion hit the Honda.
—The Enquirer, 7 Apr. 2024
Its epicenter was less than 1 mile northwest of the unincorporated community of Oldwick, N.J.
—Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Cordelia, Queensland, is about 1,400 miles northwest from Sydney and along the country’s northeastern coast.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
There’ll be plenty of places to dine and drink at the Vigo County resort, about 160 miles northwest of downtown Louisville.
—The Courier-Journal, 4 Apr. 2024
The six men are incarcerated at Woodbourne Correctional Facility, which is located upstate, about 100 miles northwest of New York City.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
Charles, 75, was heard at a traditional Maundy Thursday service at Worcester Cathedral, near Birmingham in the West Midlands, some 130 miles northwest of London.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 28 Mar. 2024
Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2024
The Weather Prediction said clouds could also hinder viewing from Texas into southern Arkansas, and across Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania, and New York.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
States where clouds may impede the view of the eclipse include parts of Texas, southern Arkansas, Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania and New York, according to the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 7 Apr. 2024
Rain showers are possible near the path of totality during the solar eclipse across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania and western New York, according to NWS.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2024
Forecasters are predicting a 20-30% chance of rain showers in Texas, Oklahoma, southern Arkansas, Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania and western New York during the timeframe of the eclipse, and a 60-90% chance of thunderstorms in the south-central U.S.
The path of totality does not extend to Arizona.
—Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
County fair locations throughout northwest Pennsylvania are also offering eclipse glasses with every purchase.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2024
Sunshine holds all day, but northwest winds gusting to 30-plus mph hold highs in the mid- to upper 50s.
—David Streit, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
Before that, mid-60s most spots for highs — maybe low 60s northwest and upper 60s south.
—Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024
Paloma Chavez, Kansas City Star, 12 Apr. 2024
Grand County is about a 100-mile drive northwest of Denver.
—Paloma Chavez, Sacramento Bee, 11 Apr. 2024
Bogotá joins Mexico City to its northwest, which could also be on the brink of running out of water, as the combination of climate change, El Niño, geography and rapid urban development put immense strain on its water resources.
—Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
The nest is at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ National Conservation Training Center, about a 75-mile drive northwest of Washington, D.C.
Read Next
California
Watch bald eagle mom feed baby its first meal in California national park.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2024
Yazoo County is located nearly an hour northwest of Jackson.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
The rule of thumb today is that our chances of severe weather generally increase from northwest to southeast across the region.
—Jeff Halverson, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
Wilkes-Barre is about a 110-mile drive northwest of Philadelphia.
—Mike Stunson, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is about a 60-mile drive northwest of Salt Lake City.
—Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 31 Mar. 2024
Adverb
The Glazier-Higgins-Woodward Tornadoes, April 9, 1947 One of a group of tornadoes hit five miles northwest of Pampa, destroyed the city of Glazier and most of the town of Higgins and crossed into western Oklahoma before dissipating near St. Leo, Kansas.
—Megan Cardona, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2024
The Texas Eclipse Festival in Burnet County, 50 miles northwest of Austin, included bands and other events to begin Sunday and wrap up Tuesday.
—USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
Police responded to the crash at 11: 20 p.m.
A statement from police said a 24-year-old man driving a 2019 Honda Civic was traveling northwest on Harrison Avenue when the driver of a southbound 2016 Toyota Scion hit the Honda.
—The Enquirer, 7 Apr. 2024
Its epicenter was less than 1 mile northwest of the unincorporated community of Oldwick, N.J.
—Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Cordelia, Queensland, is about 1,400 miles northwest from Sydney and along the country’s northeastern coast.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
There’ll be plenty of places to dine and drink at the Vigo County resort, about 160 miles northwest of downtown Louisville.
—The Courier-Journal, 4 Apr. 2024
The six men are incarcerated at Woodbourne Correctional Facility, which is located upstate, about 100 miles northwest of New York City.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
Charles, 75, was heard at a traditional Maundy Thursday service at Worcester Cathedral, near Birmingham in the West Midlands, some 130 miles northwest of London.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 28 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Strong northwest winds, gusting between 35 and 40 mph, are expected, leading to an elevated fire danger in northeastern Kansas and northwestern Missouri.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2024
The Weather Prediction said clouds could also hinder viewing from Texas into southern Arkansas, and across Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania, and New York.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
States where clouds may impede the view of the eclipse include parts of Texas, southern Arkansas, Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania and New York, according to the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 7 Apr. 2024
Rain showers are possible near the path of totality during the solar eclipse across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania and western New York, according to NWS.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2024
Forecasters are predicting a 20-30% chance of rain showers in Texas, Oklahoma, southern Arkansas, Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania and western New York during the timeframe of the eclipse, and a 60-90% chance of thunderstorms in the south-central U.S.
The path of totality does not extend to Arizona.
—Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
County fair locations throughout northwest Pennsylvania are also offering eclipse glasses with every purchase.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2024
Sunshine holds all day, but northwest winds gusting to 30-plus mph hold highs in the mid- to upper 50s.
—David Streit, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
Before that, mid-60s most spots for highs — maybe low 60s northwest and upper 60s south.
—Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024
Noun
Fenton is about a 60-mile drive northwest of Detroit.
—Paloma Chavez, Kansas City Star, 12 Apr. 2024
Grand County is about a 100-mile drive northwest of Denver.
—Paloma Chavez, Sacramento Bee, 11 Apr. 2024
Bogotá joins Mexico City to its northwest, which could also be on the brink of running out of water, as the combination of climate change, El Niño, geography and rapid urban development put immense strain on its water resources.
—Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
The nest is at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ National Conservation Training Center, about a 75-mile drive northwest of Washington, D.C.
Read Next
California
Watch bald eagle mom feed baby its first meal in California national park.
—Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2024
Yazoo County is located nearly an hour northwest of Jackson.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
The rule of thumb today is that our chances of severe weather generally increase from northwest to southeast across the region.
—Jeff Halverson, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
Wilkes-Barre is about a 110-mile drive northwest of Philadelphia.
—Mike Stunson, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024
The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is about a 60-mile drive northwest of Salt Lake City.
—Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 31 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'northwest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near northwest
Cite this Entry
“Northwest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/northwest. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
northwest
1 of 3 adverb
north·west
nȯrth-ˈwest 
nautical
nȯr-ˈwest
: to or toward the northwest
northwest
2 of 3 noun1
: 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 adjective1
: 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
ˌnȯrt-
province of the northern part of the Republic of South Africa bordering Botswana area 44,861 square miles (116,190 square kilometers), population 3,509,953
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