northeast

1 of 3

adverb

north·​east nȯrth-ˈēst 

nautical

nȯr-ˈēst 

: to, toward, or in the northeast

northeast

2 of 3

adjective

1

: coming from the northeast

a northeast wind

2

: situated toward or at the northeast

the northeast corner

northeast

3 of 3

noun

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

Adverb

The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community is about a 30-mile drive northeast from Phoenix. —Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 30 May 2025

New Market is about a 25-mile drive northeast from Knoxville. —Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 30 May 2025

Adjective

Air quality alerts were issued in central, east central and northeast Wisconsin. —Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 30 May 2025

Since then, its sleeper cells have carried out deadly attacks, mainly in eastern and northeast Syria. —Bassem Mroue, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2025

Noun

Fishers is about a 20-mile northeast drive from downtown Indianapolis. —Tj MacIas, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2025

Kyiv has warned that Russia is preparing to push into the Sumy region, in Ukraine’s northeast, and open a new front in the war. —Justin Porter, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing northeast

• east-northeast
• northeast by east
• northeast by north
• north-northeast
• the northeast

Rhymes for northeast

• deceased
• decreased
• increased
• policed
• released
• southeast
• beast
• ceased
• creased
• east
• feast
• fleeced

Kids Definition

northeast

1 of 3 adverb

north·​east nȯr-ˈthēst 

nautical

nȯ-ˈrēst 

: to or toward the northeast

northeast

2 of 3 noun

1

: the direction between north and east

2

capitalized : regions or countries northeast of a point that is mentioned or understood

northeast

3 of 3 adjective

1

: placed or lying toward or at the northeast

the northeast corner

2

: coming from the northeast

a northeast wind