What does "toward" mean?
Yielding, pliant; docile; ready or apt to learn; not froward.
Toward
/təˈwɔːd/ adj, name, prep
adj, name, prep ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Yielding, pliant; docile; ready or apt to learn; not froward.
- Grammar: toward is listed as adj, name, prep.
- Nearest alternatives: about, accessible to all, across, adhere to original terms.
- Useful contrasts: untoward, kinetic energy from gravity, fro.
- Usage evidence: This advice of yours will go a long way toward solving the problem.
How to use "toward"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "toward" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "toward" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "toward" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "toward" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "toward" is acting as adj, name, prep in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "about" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "toward", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Yielding, pliant; docile; ready or apt to learn; not froward. US, not-comparable
- 2 Approaching, coming near; impending; present, at hand. US, dated, not-comparable
"Do you heare ought (Sir) of a Battell toward."
- 3 Promising, likely. US, archaic, not-comparable, obsolete
"Clif[ford] Why that is ſpoken like a toward Prince."
- 4 Future; to-come. US, not-comparable, obsolete
"But ear that wiſhed day his beame diſcloſd, / He either enuying my toward good, / Or of him ſelfe to treaſon ill diſpoſd / One day vnto me came in friendly mood, / And told for ſecret how he vnderſtood / […]"
Preposition
- 1 In the direction of. US
"She moved toward the door."
- 2 In relation to (someone or something). US
"What are your feelings toward him?"
- 3 For the purpose of attaining (an aim). US
"I'm saving money toward retirement."
- 4 Located close to; near (a time or place). US
"Our place is over toward the station."
Proper Noun
- 1 A coastal village south of Dunoon, Argyll and Bute council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NS1367).
- 2 A surname, apparently taken from the place name.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"This advice of yours will go a long way toward solving the problem."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "toward"?
Common synonyms include: about, accessible to all, across, adhere to original terms, advantageous, against.
How do you use "toward" in a sentence?
This advice of yours will go a long way toward solving the problem.
How do you pronounce "toward"?
Pronounced /təˈwɔːd/.
Etymology
From Middle English toward, from Old English tōweard, from Proto-West Germanic *tōward, equivalent to to + -ward. Cognate with Middle Low German tôwart, Middle Dutch toewaert (Modern Dutch toewaarts), Middle High German zuowart, zūwart (Modern German zuwärts). Compare also Middle English tilward, tillward (“toward”).