1
a
: the general direction between south and west
b
: the point midway between the south and west compass points
2
capitalized
: regions or countries lying to the southwest of a specified or implied point of orientation
especially
: the southwestern part of the U.S.
1
: coming from the southwest
a southwest wind
2
: situated toward or at the southwest
the southwest corner
Examples of southwest in a Sentence
Adverb
It's about 80 miles southwest of here.
Noun
A mountain range is in the southwest of the country.
These plants grow in the Southwest.
Adjective
the southwest corner of the building
Recent Examples on the Web
Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 16 Feb. 2025
The epicenter was seven miles northwest of Malibu and nine miles southwest of Thousand Oaks.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2025
Carol Rosenberg, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
The study will look beyond the department’s current needs to also consider what will happen if the city’s population grows to 250,000 when the city’s southeast, southwest and far west sides are all built out, according to Alexandrou.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2025
Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2025
With Trump relying heavily on CBP to secure the southwest border and ICE to conduct arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants, the shake-up could reshape immigration enforcement and federal governance.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for southwest 
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Adverb
Another struck five hours later, at 3:42 p.m., 2 miles southwest of Anderson Springs.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 16 Feb. 2025
The epicenter was seven miles northwest of Malibu and nine miles southwest of Thousand Oaks.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2025
Noun
The Venezuelans at Guantánamo are civilian, domestic prisoners who were taken into custody in the United States or at the southwest border, in a time of peace, and are technically in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security.
—Carol Rosenberg, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
The study will look beyond the department’s current needs to also consider what will happen if the city’s population grows to 250,000 when the city’s southeast, southwest and far west sides are all built out, according to Alexandrou.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
Vehicles frozen shut after water main break floods southwest Detroit
Crews in southwest Detroit were working to free cars from ice holding them in place after floodwaters froze amid a blast of Arctic air this week.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2025
With Trump relying heavily on CBP to secure the southwest border and ICE to conduct arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants, the shake-up could reshape immigration enforcement and federal governance.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for southwest
Dictionary Entries Near southwest
Cite this Entry
“Southwest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/southwest. Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
southwest
1 of 3 adverb
south·west
sau̇th-ˈwest 
nautical sau̇-ˈwest
: to or toward the southwest
southwest
2 of 3 noun1
: the direction between south and west
2
capitalized
: regions or countries southwest of a point that is mentioned or understood
southwest
3 of 3 adjective1
: coming from the southwest
a southwest wind
2
: situated toward or at the southwest
the southwest corner
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