onward

1 of 2

adverb

on·​ward ˈȯn-wərd How to pronounce onward (audio)
ˈän-
variants or less commonly onwards
: toward or at a point lying ahead in space or time : forward

onward

2 of 2

adjective

: directed or moving onward : forward

Examples of onward in a Sentence

Adverb They have lived in that house from 1983 onward. we must continue to move onward, or we will die in this desert
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
Cleverly, the brand cloaked modern fuel injectors in carburetor-style housings from 2009 onward, keeping the Bonneville legal with current emissions standards while maintaining its evocative old-school style. Peter Jackson, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2024 He was reminded 20 times from 2010 onward to provide truthful information to the FBI, according to the indictment. Matt Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024 Instead of the traditional home-and-away matchups in the knockout rounds, the quarterfinals onward will borrow a form recognizable from the later stages of international tournaments: one-and-done games held in a single country over the course of little more than a week. Rory Smith, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Kelton ultimately opted not to take the plea deal, and so the trial forged onward. Alex Ross, Peoplemag, 23 Feb. 2024 Nowadays, once asylum seekers either are apprehended or turn themselves in to Border Patrol, they are processed into the immigration system, and, if released, brought to Annunciation House’s network of shelters, where they are fed, housed, and provided assistance to travel onward. Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2024 But the Houthis' targets have grown more random since their attacks began in November, endangering a vital waterway for cargo and energy shipments traveling from Asia and the Middle East onward to Europe. Jon Gambrell, Quartz, 22 Feb. 2024 This effect became statistically significant from the tenth day of the study onward, as patients were titrated to increasingly higher doses of liraglutide. Simar Bajaj, STAT, 17 Feb. 2024 From July onward, however, Bailey batted .185 with a .503 OPS. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2024
Adjective
An evolutionary analysis of the genetic sequences suggested there were at least 109 spillover events from humans to deer, with evidence of onward transmission in deer from there. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 13 July 2023 In the intervening months, prices for natural diamonds have been under intense pressure from both global instability and the onward march of LGD, leading to some countries withholding rough supply while the market stabilizes. Kate Matthams, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023 Macy’s Return deadline of Jan. 31 for any purchase made from Oct. 2 onward Marshall’s Return deadline of Jan. 25 for purchases made between Oct. 8 and Dec. 24. Bychris Morris, Fortune, 25 Dec. 2023 Travelers flying to Europe on Air Canada can now seamlessly book trains to their onward destinations thanks to the carrier’s new air-to-rail program. Stella Shon, Travel + Leisure, 11 Dec. 2023 The violence of the Second Intifada and onward isn’t only because of the triggers like Sharon visiting the Al Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount. Emily Bazelon, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023 The spike in migration was made possible by the discovery this year of a new route through Nicaragua, where relaxed entry requirements allow Mauritanians and a handful of other foreign nationals to purchase a low-cost visa without proof of onward travel. Jake Offenhartz, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2023 Using the Pixel Tablet in hub mode to watch live TV. Big screen Android apps still aren’t going to outperform Apple’s A14 Bionic and onward chips, which can run higher resolutions at up to 120 hertz. Hunter Fenollol, Popular Mechanics, 29 June 2023 Tracing the onward trails is only possible as a result of marked specificity in regional distribution of the genetic branches The geographic clarity of both male and female gene trees is a big departure from the fuzzy inter-regional picture shown by older genetic studies. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 28 Mar. 2010

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'onward.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of onward was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near onward

Cite this Entry

“Onward.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onward. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

onward

1 of 2 adverb
on·​ward ˈȯn-wərd How to pronounce onward (audio)
ˈän-
variants also onwards
: toward or at a point lying ahead in space or time : forward
kept moving onward

onward

2 of 2 adjective
: directed or moving onward
the onward march of time

More from Merriam-Webster on onward

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