toward

American  

[tawrd, tohrd, tuh-wawrd, twawrd, twohrd, tawrd, tohrd] / tɔrd, toʊrd, təˈwɔrd, twɔrd, twoʊrd, tɔrd, toʊrd /

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.

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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 British  

adjective

1. rare in progress; afoot

2. obsolete about to happen; imminent

3. obsolete promising or favourable

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preposition

1. a variant of towards

toward Idioms  

1. see go a long way toward.

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Other Word Forms

• towardness noun

Etymology

Origin of toward

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

Example Sentences

I spoke with a mother and son who fled Poland; they came to the rally because they don’t want to watch their new home drift toward the system they escaped.

From The Wall Street Journal

Instead, they generate directed fluid flows that actively push proteins toward the leading edge, where cells extend, move and repair tissue.

From Science Daily

These flows move actin and other proteins toward the front of the cell much faster than diffusion alone.

From Science Daily

“It’s kind of like the world outside of this attic,” the Grammy-winning and multihyphenate artist says, reaching toward the window as if he could leap through and enter another dimension.

From Los Angeles Times

The drama builds toward a confrontation between Victor, a cop who dropped out of college to support his dad, and Walter, a wealthy doctor who made no such sacrifices and resents the guilt that he’s spent a lifetime trying to elude.

From Los Angeles Times