towards

to·wards
T1O1W4A1R1D2S1
UK/təˈwɔːdz/UK[tʰə̥ˈwɔːdz]traditional/ˈtɔːdz/US/tʊˈwɔɹdz/

adverb

In the direction of something (indicated by context).

Similar
toward
Opposite
fromwardfromwards
OriginMiddle English towardes ← Old English tōweardes →
Very commonScrabble 11
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Meanings

preposition
  1. alternativeAlternative form of toward.

    To the left towers the Jungfrau, with the train heading directly towards it.

    1960 December, Voyageur, “The Mountain Railways of the Bernese Oberland”, in Trains Illustrated, page 752
    3 more examples

    Towards the following morning, the thermometer fell to 5°; and at daylight, there was not an atom of water to be seen in any direction.

    1835, Sir John Ross, Sir James Clark Ross, Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-west Passage …, Volume 1, pages 284–5

    But with Goodison Park openly directing its full hostility towards Atkinson, Liverpool went ahead when Carroll turned in his first Premier League goal of the season after 70 minutes.

    2011 October 1, Phil McNulty, “Everton 0-2 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport

    Huntingdon's ferocity makes the reaction of staff all the more brave. To move towards danger when others are fleeing is the definition of bravery in my book. To place yourself in danger to protect others.

    2025 November 12, Philip Haigh, “High praise for rail staff's courage and clear thinking”, in RAIL, number 1048, page 50

    Synonyms: toward · Antonyms: fromward, fromwards

adverbtowards (not comparable)
  1. not comparableIn the direction of something (indicated by context).

    Thus as he spake, lo far away they spyde / A varlet running towards hastily […]

    1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC
adjectivetowards (not comparable)
  1. not comparableNear; at hand; in state of preparation; toward.

    We have a trifling foolish banquet towards.

    c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene v]

Synonyms & antonyms

Origin

  1. Old Englishtōweardes
  2. Middle Englishtowardes
  3. Englishtowards

From Middle English towardes, from Old English tōweardes, tōwærdes, equivalent to toward + -s (adverbial suffix).

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with towards

boardsswordscordsfordsmeasure swordstwo swords
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

towards. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/towards

MLA

“towards.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/towards. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “towards,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/towards.

Source: towards on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.