toward
Americanpreposition
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in the direction of.
to walk toward the river.
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with a view to obtaining or having; for.
They're saving money toward a new house.
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in the area or vicinity of; near.
Our cabin is toward the top of the hill.
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turned to; facing.
Her back was toward me.
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shortly before; close to.
toward midnight.
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as a help or contribution to.
to give money toward a person's expenses.
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with respect to; as regards.
his attitude toward women.
adjective
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about to come soon; imminent.
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going on; in progress; afoot.
There is work toward.
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propitious; favorable.
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Obsolete.
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promising or apt, as a student.
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compliant; docile.
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adjective
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rare in progress; afoot
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obsolete about to happen; imminent
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obsolete promising or favourable
preposition
Other Word Forms
- towardness noun
Etymology
Origin of toward
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English tōweard; equivalent to to + -ward
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Oil is likely to move higher when Asian markets open, with investors likely shifting toward dollar-denominated assets in the early phase of the conflict, said Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM.
From Barron's
Services inflation has proved sticky, and markets have steadily scaled back expectations for rate cuts in 2026 as progress toward a 2% inflation rate has slowed.
From Barron's
Her two children in their 30s don’t see a clear path toward buying a home there themselves.
In recent years, Khamenei also oversaw deepening ties with China and, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a pivot toward the Kremlin.
“A limited set of strikes could plausibly send oil toward $80 per barrel, while a longer conflict that causes disruptions to supply could send prices much higher—with a material effect on global inflation,” analysts at Capital Economics wrote in a note to clients.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
