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
Mel Studach, Architectural Digest, 3 Sep. 2024
The lawsuit names the paraprofessional, other special education staff and the district, which enrolls around 1,100 and is based in St. Marys, about 30 miles northwest of Topeka.
—CBS News, 17 Aug. 2024
Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Sep. 2024
The highest total came from the Slash EV Ranch in northwest Colorado, which was ordered to pay more than $86,000 in back wages.
—Sam Tabachnik, The Denver Post, 1 Sep. 2024
Hayes Gardner, Baltimore Sun, 6 Aug. 2024
In the east and northwest of China, temperatures as high as 43.9 degrees Celsius (111.02 degrees Fahrenheit) have scorched Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Anhui and Xinjiang in recent days, state broadcaster CCTV said.
—Reuters, NBC News, 5 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for northwest 
Adverb
The Parc des expositions de Paris Nord Villepinte, home of Maison & Objet, is located about 30 minutes northwest of the heart of Paris, so getting there will require driving (or requesting a taxi or a ride-sharing service, such as Uber) or taking a train from Gare du Nord.
—Mel Studach, Architectural Digest, 3 Sep. 2024
The lawsuit names the paraprofessional, other special education staff and the district, which enrolls around 1,100 and is based in St. Marys, about 30 miles northwest of Topeka.
—CBS News, 17 Aug. 2024
Adjective
North northwest wind 7 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
—Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Sep. 2024
The highest total came from the Slash EV Ranch in northwest Colorado, which was ordered to pay more than $86,000 in back wages.
—Sam Tabachnik, The Denver Post, 1 Sep. 2024
Noun
But after learning of interest from Baltimore Peninsula developers MAG Partners, as well as challenges with the Swann Park site, the stadium authority will now study a Baltimore Peninsula site located northwest of Mission Boulevard in addition to Carroll Park.
—Hayes Gardner, Baltimore Sun, 6 Aug. 2024
In the east and northwest of China, temperatures as high as 43.9 degrees Celsius (111.02 degrees Fahrenheit) have scorched Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Anhui and Xinjiang in recent days, state broadcaster CCTV said.
—Reuters, NBC News, 5 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for northwest
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 11 Sep. 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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