1
: situated toward or at the north
the north entrance
2
: coming from the north
a north wind
1
a
: the direction of the north terrestrial pole : the direction to the left of one facing east
b
: the compass point directly opposite to south
2
capitalized
a
: regions or countries lying to the north of a specified or implied point of orientation
b
: the industrially and economically developed nations of the world compare south sense 5
3
often capitalized
a
: the one of four positions at 90-degree intervals that lies to the north or at the top of a diagram
b
: a person occupying this position in the course of a specified activity (such as the game of bridge)
Examples of north in a Sentence
Adverb
Turn north onto Elm Street.
It's a few miles north of here.
The bird is found as far north as Canada.
Noun
The wind is coming from the north.
The birds migrate from the North.
Parts of the North were hit hard by the storm.
I grew up in the North.
The American Civil War was between the North and the South.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025
Fire crossed Dinkey Creek and moved north toward Oak Flat.
—Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Norway is farther north and its wilderness, Trier believes, affects the culture.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025
Cases have been reported elsewhere in Florida, as well as in Louisiana and as far north as Maryland.
—Mollye Barrows, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for north
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adverb
His sister Katherine also trekked north to celebrate the happy couple with her husband, Chris Pratt.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025
Fire crossed Dinkey Creek and moved north toward Oak Flat.
—Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
In 2019, two friends from far north suburban Zion, Edward Schimenti and Joseph Jones, were convicted of attempting to aid the Islamic State terrorist group by providing cellphones to an undercover FBI agent to be used as detonators for bombs.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Norway is farther north and its wilderness, Trier believes, affects the culture.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
It is blessed with a huge territory, a dynamic economy and the strategic luxury of large oceans on its east and west and much smaller powers to its north and south.
—John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 11 Sep. 2025
Cases have been reported elsewhere in Florida, as well as in Louisiana and as far north as Maryland.
—Mollye Barrows, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for north
Cite this Entry
“North.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/north. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
north
1 of 3 adverb
: to or toward the north
north
2 of 3 adjective1
: placed or lying toward or at the north
the north entrance
2
: coming from the north
a north wind
north
3 of 3 noun1
a
: the direction to the left of one facing east
b
: the compass point opposite to south
2
capitalized
: regions or countries north of a point that is mentioned or understood
Biographical Definition
North
2 of 3biographical name (2)
Frederick 1732–1792 Lord North English statesman; prime minister (1770–82)
North
3 of 3biographical name (3)
Sir Thomas 1535–?1603 English translator
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