southwest

southwest — noun

1. The spot on a compass that falls exactly halfway between due south and due west,

1.nounB1
Definition

The spot on a compass that falls exactly halfway between due south and due west, used for telling where a place lies or which way something moves.

Example

The map shows the village fifteen miles to the southwest of the main city.

the + southwest + of [place] for relative location

Ryo turned his compass needle until it pointed southwest and then began to walk.

pointed southwest — direction without article

Common collocations
  • to the southwest of
  • pointing southwest
  • facing southwest
  • toward the southwest
Synonyms
  • southwestward

    more formal and directional, often used in navigation

  • SW

    abbreviated form used on maps and in written directions

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the + southwest

to/toward the southwest

Usage Note

When used as a pure direction without an article (e.g., 'facing southwest'), it functions adverbially. With 'the' ('to the southwest'), it functions as a noun referring to a point on the compass.

Common Mistakes

We drove to southwest.
We drove to the southwest.
Use 'the' when referring to the compass direction as a destination.

2. A section of a nation, district, or town that sits toward the southwest, especia

2.nounB1
Definition

A section of a nation, district, or town that sits toward the southwest, especially when it has its own special qualities such as weather, traditions, or landscape.

Example

The southwest of France is famous for its wine, sunny weather, and long coastline.

the southwest of [country]

Yara grew up in the Southwest, where the desert stretches for hundreds of miles.

capitalised for a specific region

Common collocations
  • the southwest of
  • in the southwest
  • the American Southwest
Synonyms
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the + Southwest

in the southwest of [place]

Usage Note

Capitalised (the Southwest) when referring to a recognised region such as the American Southwest or the Southwest of England. Lowercase when used purely descriptively.

Common Mistakes

She lives in southwest of Taiwan.
She lives in the southwest of Taiwan.
Use 'the' before 'southwest of [place]'.

southwest — adjective

southwest — adverb

Word family

  • southwestern
    adjectiveB2
  • southwestward
    adverbC1
  • southwestward
    adjectiveC1
  • southwesterly
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four words all relate to the southwest direction but differ in grammatical function and typical use. 'Southwest' is the most general term, used as a noun, adjective, or adverb. 'Southwestward' (and 'southwestwards' in British English) is primarily an adverb or adjective meaning 'toward the southwest' and sounds more formal — you would find it in navigation manuals or formal travel writing ('they sailed southwestward'). 'Southwesterly' is almost exclusively used for wind direction in meteorological contexts ('a southwesterly breeze') and can also mean 'facing the southwest' ('a southwesterly aspect'). 'Southwestern' is an adjective referring to the region itself ('southwestern cuisine', 'southwestern climate'). For everyday conversation, 'southwest' is the natural choice: 'We drove southwest.' For formal writing about direction, use 'southwestward.' For weather, use 'southwesterly.' For describing the region, use 'southwestern.'

southwest ↗southwestwardsouthwesterlysouthwestern ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • southwest coast
  • southwest corner
  • southwest wind
  • southwest region

Adverbs

  • due southwest
  • directly southwest
  • roughly southwest
  • slightly southwest

Phrases

  • southwest of here
  • the American Southwest
  • southwest by south
  • head southwest

Prepositions

  • to the southwest of
  • in the southwest of
  • from the southwest

Etymology

Old EnglishGermanicEnglish

Formed by combining 'south' and 'west', both from Old English. 'South' (sūþ) and 'west' (west) have Germanic roots, and the compound 'southwest' (sūþwest) has been used since the Old English period to indicate the direction midway between south and west. Similar compound forms exist in other Germanic languages.