1
a
: the general direction between south and west
b
: the point midway between the south and west compass points
2
capitalized
: regions or countries lying to the southwest of a specified or implied point of orientation
especially
: the southwestern part of the U.S.
1
: coming from the southwest
a southwest wind
2
: situated toward or at the southwest
the southwest corner
Examples of southwest in a Sentence
Adverb
It's about 80 miles southwest of here.
Noun
A mountain range is in the southwest of the country.
These plants grow in the Southwest.
Adjective
the southwest corner of the building
Recent Examples on the Web
Jon Haworth, ABC News, 4 Feb. 2025
Located along the Potomac River, just southwest of the city.
—Lolita C. Baldor, TIME, 30 Jan. 2025
Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Plainfield is about a 20-mile drive southwest from Indianapolis.
—Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 6 Feb. 2025
Ron Hurtibise, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2025
Tawnya Gibson is a freelance writer who grew up in the high desert of southwest New Mexico.
—Tawnya Gibson, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for southwest 
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Adverb
The theft took place in Greencastle, Pennsylvania -- located approximately 65 miles southwest of the state capital of Harrisburg -- when the eggs were stolen from the rear of a distribution trailer on Saturday around 8:40 p.m. while it was parked outside Pete & Gerry’s Organics.
—Jon Haworth, ABC News, 4 Feb. 2025
Located along the Potomac River, just southwest of the city.
—Lolita C. Baldor, TIME, 30 Jan. 2025
Noun
Henry Heitkamp sold is 150-acre farm southwest of town to William Hessing for $4,500.
—Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Plainfield is about a 20-mile drive southwest from Indianapolis.
—Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
Since Hurricane Irma entered Florida on the southwest coast in 2017, 15 hurricanes or tropical storms have hit Florida's west coast, according to an online log of hurricane tracks by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
—Ron Hurtibise, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2025
Tawnya Gibson is a freelance writer who grew up in the high desert of southwest New Mexico.
—Tawnya Gibson, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for southwest
Dictionary Entries Near southwest
Cite this Entry
“Southwest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/southwest. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
southwest
1 of 3 adverb
south·west
sau̇th-ˈwest 
nautical sau̇-ˈwest
: to or toward the southwest
southwest
2 of 3 noun1
: the direction between south and west
2
capitalized
: regions or countries southwest of a point that is mentioned or understood
southwest
3 of 3 adjective1
: coming from the southwest
a southwest wind
2
: situated toward or at the southwest
the southwest corner
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