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
Erica Firpo, AFAR Media, 4 June 2025
The plume was forecast to move northwest and reach Florida mid-week, then hit other states including Georgia, the Carolinas, Texas and Louisiana by Friday.
—Sarah Lynch Baldwin
june 3, CBS News, 3 June 2025
Greta Cross, USA Today, 6 June 2025
In fact, there used to be a Radio Shack in the same strip mall as American Science & Surplus' old store in the Jefferson Park neighborhood on Chicago's northwest side.
—Eric Bangeman – Jun 4, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2025
Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 27 May 2025
Brighton is about a 50-mile drive northwest from Detroit.
—Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for northwest
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Adverb
From Catania, head northwest to the hillside town of Nicolosi, gateway to Mount Etna.
—Erica Firpo, AFAR Media, 4 June 2025
The plume was forecast to move northwest and reach Florida mid-week, then hit other states including Georgia, the Carolinas, Texas and Louisiana by Friday.
—Sarah Lynch Baldwin
june 3, CBS News, 3 June 2025
Adjective
Located in northwest Georgia, the lake is about 35 miles north of Atlanta.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 6 June 2025
In fact, there used to be a Radio Shack in the same strip mall as American Science & Surplus' old store in the Jefferson Park neighborhood on Chicago's northwest side.
—Eric Bangeman – Jun 4, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2025
Noun
Valley is about a 30-mile drive northwest from Columbus, Georgia.
—Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 27 May 2025
Brighton is about a 50-mile drive northwest from Detroit.
—Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for northwest
Cite this Entry
“Northwest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/northwest. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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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