west

1 of 3

adverb

ˈwest 

: to, toward, or in the west

west

2 of 3

adjective

1

: situated toward or at the west

the west exit

2

: coming from the west

a west wind

west

3 of 3

noun

1

a

: the general direction of sunset : the direction to the left of one facing north

b

: the compass point directly opposite to east

2

capitalized

a

: regions or countries lying to the west of a specified or implied point of orientation

b

: the noncommunist countries of Europe and America

3

: the end of a church opposite the chancel

4

often capitalized

a

: the one of four positions at 90-degree intervals that lies to the west or at the left of a diagram

b

: a person (such as a bridge player) occupying this position during a specified activity

Examples of west in a Sentence

Adverb

They drove west after they got off the highway.

They live just west of here.

Adjective

cities on the west coast

Noun

There's a beautiful pond to the west of the trail.

We will be traveling into the city from the west.

If that way is east, then this way is west.

Floods have caused extensive damage in the West.

Come explore the natural wonders of the American West.

policies foreign to the West

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Eastvale, about 30 minutes west of Riverside, ranked 10th on the list. —Anna Lynn Winfrey, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025

Vernon sells those nets, as well as an 18-footer that is designed for those who shrimp from bridges, piers and docks, at his family’s tackle store at 8501 NW 7th Ave., just west of I-95 between 95th and 79th streets. —Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025

Adjective

Margaret Larkin, 66, had seen her fair share of fires and heavy Santa Ana winds in her decades of renting her cul-de-sac home on the west side of Altadena. —Jireh Deng, NPR, 8 Feb. 2025

The expansion of the Turnpike, especially the addition of four lanes on the west side of the roadway, so that the Turnpike will be virtually inside the residences of Coconut Creek resident in South Creek, Wynmoor, Centura Park and portions of the Township is unconscionable. —Jacqueline Railey, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2025

Noun

Others are seeing doctors in Quincy, about a 20-minute drive west. —Daniel Chang, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2025

Fort Totten is within the Spirit Lake Reservation, about a 100-mile drive west of Grand Forks. —Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 10 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German westar to the west and probably to Latin vesper evening, Greek hesperos

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing west

• galley-west
• north by west
• northwest by west
• out west
• south by west
• southwest by west
• west by north
• west by south
• west-northwest
• west-southwest

Kids Definition

west

1 of 3 adverb

ˈwest 

: to or toward the west

west

2 of 3 adjective

1

: situated toward or at the west

the west entrance

2

: coming from the west

a west wind

west

3 of 3 noun

1

: the direction of sunset : the compass point opposite to east

2

capitalized

a

: regions or countries west of a point that is mentioned or understood

b

: the countries of Europe and the Americas that are not communist

Biographical Definition

West 1 of 4

biographical name (1)

ˈwest 

Benjamin 1738–1820 American painter

West

2 of 4

biographical name (2)

Nathanael 1903–1940 originally Nathan Wallenstein Weinstein American novelist

West

3 of 4

biographical name (3)

Dame Rebecca 1892–1983 pseudonym of Cicily Isabel Andrews née Fairfield English critic and novelist

West

4 of 4

biographical name (4)

Thomas see de la warr