a cardinal point of the compass, 90° to the left when facing north, corresponding to the point where the sun is seen to set. W
the direction in which this point lies.
(usually initial capital letter) a region or territory situated in this direction, especially the western part of the U.S., as distinguished from the East.
a vacation trip through the West.
the West,
the western part of the world, as distinguished from the East or Orient; the Occident.
the non-Communist countries of Western Europe and the Americas.
directed or proceeding toward the west.
coming from the west.
a west wind.
lying toward or situated in the west.
Ecclesiastical. designating, lying toward, or in that part of a church opposite to and farthest from the altar.
to, toward, or in the west.
The car headed west.
from the west.
The wind blew west.
Benjamin, 1738–1820, U.S. painter, in England after 1763.
Jerome Alan Jerry, born 1938, U.S. basketball player, coach, and executive.
Mae, 1893–1980, U.S. actress.
Nathanael Nathan Wallenstein Weinstein, 1902?–40, U.S. novelist.
Paul, 1930–2015, U.S. poet, essayist, and novelist, born in England.
Dame Rebecca Cicily Isabel Fairfield Andrews, 1892–1983, English novelist, journalist, and critic, born in Ireland.
one of the four cardinal points of the compass, 270° clockwise from north and 180° from east
the direction along a parallel towards the sunset, at 270° clockwise from north
(often capital) any area lying in or towards the west
cards (usually capital) the player or position at the table corresponding to west on the compass
situated in, moving towards, or facing the west
(esp of the wind) from the west
in, to, or towards the west
archaic (of the wind) from the west
informal
to be lost or destroyed irrevocably
to die
the western part of the world contrasted historically and culturally with the East or Orient; the Occident
(formerly) the non-Communist countries of Europe and America contrasted with the Communist states of the East Compare East
that part of the US lying approximately to the west of the Mississippi
(during the Colonial period) the region outside the 13 colonies, lying mainly to the west of the Alleghenies
(in the ancient and medieval world) the Western Roman Empire and, later, the Holy Roman Empire
Benjamin. 1738–1820, US painter, in England from 1763
Kanye , born 1977, US rap singer and producer; his albums include The College Dropout (2004) and Graduation (2007)
Mae. 1892–1980, US film actress
Nathanael, real name Nathan Weinstein. 1903–40, US novelist: author of Miss Lonely-Hearts (1933) and The Day of the Locust (1939)
Dame Rebecca, real name Cicily Isabel Andrews (née Fairfield ). 1892–1983, British journalist, novelist, and critic
First recorded before 900; from Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch, German west, Old Norse vestr; compare French ouest, Old French from Old English
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
During the first eight months of 2025, more than 750 measles cases were reported during a major outbreak in west Texas that hospitalized dozens of unvaccinated residents and killed two people.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2026
Those in the north and west, closer to low pressure will tend to see the higher rainfall amounts, whereas some in the south-east may see little to no rain at all.
From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026
Trump is also scheduled to dine at the Versailles palace west of Paris with Macron on Wednesday evening, after the summit wraps up.
From Barron's • Jun. 13, 2026
The original Penn Station, designed by McKim, Mead & White, opened in 1910 on Manhattan’s west side.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026
“Don’t know. He wanted a pile of it in there last night, and now he wants all the straw from the stables up in the west tower, every last bit.”
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
