1
: coming from the northeast
a northeast wind
2
: situated toward or at the northeast
the northeast corner
1
a
: the general direction between north and east
b
: the point midway between the north and east compass points
2
capitalized
: regions or countries lying to the northeast of a specified or implied point of orientation
Examples of northeast in a Sentence
Adverb
It's a few miles northeast of here.
We left the city and headed northeast.
Adjective
My office is in the northeast corner of the building.
Noun
A mountain range is in the northeast of the country.
Parts of the Northeast were hit hard by the storm.
I grew up in the Northeast.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Eastpointe is about a 10-mile drive northeast from Detroit.
—Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2025
Kim Velsey, Curbed, 24 Oct. 2025
The body of a man was discovered hanging from a rope while on fire near a homeless encampment in northeast Houston, police said.
—Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
With maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, the hurricane is moving to the north-northeast at 7 mph.
—Miami Herald Hurricane Bot, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for northeast
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Adverb
The earthquake's epicenter was situated approximately 6 miles northeast of San Martin and occurred at a depth of 4 miles.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Eastpointe is about a 10-mile drive northeast from Detroit.
—Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
These districts include Republican strongholds like the southeast shore of Staten Island, southern Brooklyn, and northeast Queens, according to a recent analysis by City Limits, but also blue neighborhoods like Bay Ridge and the Upper West Side.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 24 Oct. 2025
The body of a man was discovered hanging from a rope while on fire near a homeless encampment in northeast Houston, police said.
—Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
The hurricane had begun moving toward the north-northeast and was moving at about 8 mph, with maximum sustained winds near 165 mph, down from the 185-mph recorded at landfall.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
With maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, the hurricane is moving to the north-northeast at 7 mph.
—Miami Herald Hurricane Bot, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for northeast
Cite this Entry
“Northeast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/northeast. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
northeast
1 of 3 adverb
north·east
nȯr-ˈthēst 
nautical
nȯ-ˈrēst
: to or toward the northeast
northeast
2 of 3 noun1
: the direction between north and east
2
capitalized
: regions or countries northeast of a point that is mentioned or understood
northeast
3 of 3 adjective1
: placed or lying toward or at the northeast
the northeast corner
2
: coming from the northeast
a northeast wind
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