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
Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024
That August, two hours northwest of Philadelphia, in the Mississippi Delta county of Leflore, a Black fourteen-year-old from Chicago, Emmett Till, was visiting family.
—Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press, 4 Nov. 2024
Located in northwest Montana, the park is a year-round destination where visitors can hike, swim, see fall foliage, and cross-country ski — all while admiring the mountain views.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2024
Simone McCarthy, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Russian forces also made gains southeast of Kupiansk and northwest of Kreminna, the ISW reported, with video released by Ukrainian forces showing them repelling a platoon-sized Russian mechanized assault in the Lyman direction.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for northwest 
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Adverb
One fire claimed a woman's life in Millbury, about 15 miles northwest of where Johnson is accused of starting a fire over the weekend.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 4 Nov. 2024
That August, two hours northwest of Philadelphia, in the Mississippi Delta county of Leflore, a Black fourteen-year-old from Chicago, Emmett Till, was visiting family.
—Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Police were notified Monday of a threat to shoot up a polling location on Detroit's northwest side, Detroit Police confirmed to the Free Press.
—Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press, 4 Nov. 2024
Located in northwest Montana, the park is a year-round destination where visitors can hike, swim, see fall foliage, and cross-country ski — all while admiring the mountain views.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2024
Noun
Bhutan’s official maps have lost a parcel of land to its northwest and the Menchuma valley and plateau in its northeast, according to Barnett.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Russian forces also made gains southeast of Kupiansk and northwest of Kreminna, the ISW reported, with video released by Ukrainian forces showing them repelling a platoon-sized Russian mechanized assault in the Lyman direction.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for northwest
Dictionary Entries Near northwest
Cite this Entry
“Northwest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/northwest. Accessed 22 Nov. 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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