variants
or less commonly onwards
ˈȯn-wərdz 
ˈän-
: toward or at a point lying ahead in space or time : forward
Examples of onward in a Sentence
Adverb
They have lived in that house from 1983 onward.
we must continue to move onward, or we will die in this desert
Recent Examples on the Web
Harman Dayal, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
Rental tenants want an experience, starting with curb appeal and continuing with their arrival into the building and going onward into the lobby, elevators, and hallways.
—Joshua Stein, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 26 Mar. 2025
Those rates are significantly below the 95 percent threshold needed to block the onward community spread of measles—one of the most infectious viruses known to humankind.
—Ars Technica, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onward
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adverb
From that point onward, the Blues couldn’t be stopped.
—Harman Dayal, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
Rental tenants want an experience, starting with curb appeal and continuing with their arrival into the building and going onward into the lobby, elevators, and hallways.
—Joshua Stein, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Coverage of 95 percent or greater is thought to protect communities from onward spread of the extremely contagious virus.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 26 Mar. 2025
Those rates are significantly below the 95 percent threshold needed to block the onward community spread of measles—one of the most infectious viruses known to humankind.
—Ars Technica, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for onward
Cite this Entry
“Onward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onward. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share