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-wards
- variant of -ward:
towards; afterwards.
-wards
suffix forming adverbs
- indicating direction towards Compare -ward
to sail shorewards
a step backwards
Spelling Note
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of -wards1
Example Sentences
"In regards to the staff who were working on wards and being able to provide that up to date information and data in regards to how a loved one... an update on their care on a ward wasn't always possible on a timely need," said the former minister.
The BBC has previously reported on research which appears to show a significant real-world benefit from wearing higher-grade masks on hospital wards.
Class-action lawsuits have been won or are underway in several Canadian provinces for abuse of rights in psychiatric wards.
She had also volunteered for nursing shifts during Covid, at times working "under the radar" in hospital wards, the inquiry heard.
On medical wards, things can take turns and you still have to figure out how to help right things.
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Words That Use -wards
What does -wards mean?
The suffix –wards is used to mean “in the direction of,” either in time or space. It is often used in everyday and technical terms.
The form –wards comes from Old English –weardes, meaning “towards.”
What are variants of –wards?
The suffix –wards is more common in British English. In North American English, the variant –ward, as in toward, is more commonly used. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article on –ward.
Examples of -wards
One example of a word that features the suffix –wards is downwards, or downward, “from a higher to a lower place, level, etc.”
The first part of the word indicates the direction. In this case, down– means “from higher to lower.” The suffix –wards means “toward” or “in the direction of.” Downwards literally means “in the down direction.”
What are some words that use the equivalent of the combining form –wards in Middle or Old English?
What are some other forms that –wards may be commonly confused with?
Not every word that ends with the exact letters –ward or –wards, such as reward or coward, is necessarily using the combining form –ward to denote “direction.” Learn why coward means “lacking courage” at our entry for the word.
Break it down!
Given the meaning of the suffix –wards, what does upwards literally mean?
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