1
a
: coming from the west
a western storm
b
: situated or lying toward the west
islands in the western half of the archipelago
2
or Western
: of, relating to, or characteristic of a region conventionally designated West: such as
a
: steeped in or stemming from the Greco-Roman traditions
Western culture
b
: of or relating to the noncommunist countries of Europe and America
Western powers
c
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the American West
Western clothes
western music
3
Western
: of or relating to the Roman Catholic or Protestant segment of Christianity
Western liturgies
1
: one that is produced in or characteristic of a western region and especially the western U.S.
2
often capitalized
: a novel, story, motion picture, or broadcast dealing with life in the western U.S. especially during the latter half of the 19th century
Examples of western in a Sentence
Adjective
the western part of the state
Old western movies are my favorites.
Recent Examples on the Web
Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
For months, Israel has resisted pressure from Western allies to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave.
—Mustafa Salim, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2024
McIntosh and Kolb voted in favor of ending magnet busing, aside from Central and Western high schools.
—Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 12 Apr. 2024
The vast majority of all revenue generated by EV charging comes from drivers in the western U.S., primarily because of California’s rapid adoption of the technology.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
Renken still shoots sports photos, mostly for local schools in the western suburbs of Cincinnati.
—Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 12 Apr. 2024
Those include bird species — Least Bell’s Vireo and coastal cactus wren — and Western spadefoot, an amphibian sometimes referred to as a toad that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services is proposing be listed as an endangered species.
—Lauren J. Mapp, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
The Okapi Was Not Known to Western Science Until the 1900s
The okapi’s introduction to Western science and knowledge did not happen until the turn of the 20th Century.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024
Multiple tornadoes, damaging winds and hail are possible in the most at-risk area, which extends from western West Virginia across eastern Ohio.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
Nicolas Cage is a famously prolific actor who this year alone has been seen in more than a half dozen movies including the vampire comedy Renfield, the horror-thriller Sympathy for the Devil, the superhero film The Flash, and two westerns, The Old Way and Butcher's Crossing.
—Clark Collis, EW.com, 4 Dec. 2023
As fans will recall, Gilbert played lead Laura Ingalls, Grassle portrayed her mother Caroline and Arngrim took on the role of classmate Nellie Oleson on the NBC western.
—Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, Outlaw, which showcases westerns, will reach 87% of households.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024
Unlike old-school westerns, The Power of the Dog is a dark, twisted, slow burn of a film that hinges on emotion, manipulation, secrets, and desire.
—EW.com, 8 Nov. 2023
Who better to curate a series of screenings of classic westerns at AFI Silver Theatre?
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024
As Yellowstone fans know, the beloved western is ending at the end of its fifth season.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 29 Feb. 2024
The Hollywood western, of course, mythologized this country’s deserts and prairies as dramatic vistas against which such filmmakers as John Ford, Howard Hawks and Sam Peckinpah could foreground their rugged characters.
—Hugh Hart, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2024
Adjective
Iranian proxy forces in Iraq, Syria and Yemen have mounted attacks on U.S. and western interests.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
For months, Israel has resisted pressure from Western allies to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave.
—Mustafa Salim, Washington Post, 14 Apr. 2024
McIntosh and Kolb voted in favor of ending magnet busing, aside from Central and Western high schools.
—Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 12 Apr. 2024
The vast majority of all revenue generated by EV charging comes from drivers in the western U.S., primarily because of California’s rapid adoption of the technology.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
Renken still shoots sports photos, mostly for local schools in the western suburbs of Cincinnati.
—Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 12 Apr. 2024
Those include bird species — Least Bell’s Vireo and coastal cactus wren — and Western spadefoot, an amphibian sometimes referred to as a toad that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services is proposing be listed as an endangered species.
—Lauren J. Mapp, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
The Okapi Was Not Known to Western Science Until the 1900s
The okapi’s introduction to Western science and knowledge did not happen until the turn of the 20th Century.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024
Multiple tornadoes, damaging winds and hail are possible in the most at-risk area, which extends from western West Virginia across eastern Ohio.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
Noun
These descriptors weren’t ones that many people would’ve applied to westerns in that era.
—Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
Nicolas Cage is a famously prolific actor who this year alone has been seen in more than a half dozen movies including the vampire comedy Renfield, the horror-thriller Sympathy for the Devil, the superhero film The Flash, and two westerns, The Old Way and Butcher's Crossing.
—Clark Collis, EW.com, 4 Dec. 2023
As fans will recall, Gilbert played lead Laura Ingalls, Grassle portrayed her mother Caroline and Arngrim took on the role of classmate Nellie Oleson on the NBC western.
—Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, Outlaw, which showcases westerns, will reach 87% of households.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024
Unlike old-school westerns, The Power of the Dog is a dark, twisted, slow burn of a film that hinges on emotion, manipulation, secrets, and desire.
—EW.com, 8 Nov. 2023
Who better to curate a series of screenings of classic westerns at AFI Silver Theatre?
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024
As Yellowstone fans know, the beloved western is ending at the end of its fifth season.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 29 Feb. 2024
The Hollywood western, of course, mythologized this country’s deserts and prairies as dramatic vistas against which such filmmakers as John Ford, Howard Hawks and Sam Peckinpah could foreground their rugged characters.
—Hugh Hart, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'western.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near western
Cite this Entry
“Western.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/western. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
western
1 of 2 adjective
west·ern
ˈwes-tərn 
1
capitalized
: of, relating to, or resembling that of the West
2
: lying toward or coming from the west
a western storm
western
2 of 2 noun
: a story, film, or radio or television show about life in the western U.S. in the last part of the 19th century
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