toward

[ preposition tawrd, tohrd, tuh-wawrd, twawrd, twohrd; adjective tawrd, tohrd ]

preposition

1. in the direction of:

   to walk toward the river.

2. with a view to obtaining or having; for:

   They're saving money toward a new house.

3. in the area or vicinity of; near:

   Our cabin is toward the top of the hill.

4. turned to; facing:

   Her back was toward me.

5. shortly before; close to:

   toward midnight.

6. as a help or contribution to:

   to give money toward a person's expenses.

7. with respect to; as regards:

   his attitude toward women.

adjective

1. about to come soon; imminent.
2. going on; in progress; afoot:

   There is work toward.

3. propitious; favorable.
4. Obsolete.
   1. promising or apt, as a student.
   2. compliant; docile.

toward

adjective

1. rare.
   in progress; afoot
2. obsolete.
   about to happen; imminent
3. obsolete.
   promising or favourable

preposition

1. a variant of towards

Derived Forms

• ˈtowardness, noun

Other Words From

• to·wardness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of toward¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English tōweard; equivalent to to + -ward

Word History and Origins

Origin of toward¹

Old English tōweard; see to , -ward

Idioms and Phrases

see go a long way toward .

Example Sentences

“All of the players who have a stake in that area need to weigh in and be able to provide something on the way toward a solution,” the chief said.

From Los Angeles Times

The football team has qualified for bowl games in three consecutive seasons and is surging toward a possible fourth consecutive berth under new coach DeShaun Foster, the biggest hire of Jarmond’s four and a half years on the job.

From Los Angeles Times

Video footage submitted to insurers as evidence showed what appeared to be the animal climbing into the front seat of Rolls Royce, then clawing its way toward the back.

From BBC

“If it’s like Twitter and Musk’s other companies, they’ll want lean staff heavily weighted toward technical hires, carry an expectation that people be in the office all the time, not offer a lot of expectations of benefits, and expect longer work hours.”

From Slate

In the fall of 2003, The Social Contract ran an ad encouraging its readers to join the Sierra Club so that they could help elect “leaders who will redirect this vital organization toward genuine environmental stewardship.”

From Salon