The Suffix -ward in English

The Suffix -ward in English: Direction and Movement Explained (B2–C1)

Hello English learners! Welcome to a new lesson. In English, we often use the suffix -ward (and its British variant -wards) to form words that express direction, movement, or orientation. These words are extremely common in both everyday English and more formal writing.

Words with -ward can function as adjectives or adverbs, depending on how they are used:

an upward trend (adjective describing a noun)

She looked upward. (adverb describing the action)

In this lesson, you will learn some of the most useful -ward words, with clear meanings and natural examples — and at the end, you’ll also learn the important difference between -ward and -wards in British English.

Upward

Meaning: towards a higher position; pointing or moving up.

• Prices of oil are showing an upward trend.
• She looked upward and smiled.

Downward

Meaning: towards a lower position; pointing or moving down.

• The report shows a downward trend in sales.
• The path sloped downward towards the river.

Forward

Meaning: in the direction in front of you; ahead.

• She leaned forward to hear him better.
• This decision is a big step forward for the company.

The Suffix -ward in English

Backward

Meaning: in the direction opposite to the one you are facing.

• He took a step backward when he saw the snake.
• The gymnast performed a perfect backward somersault.

Inward

Meaning: towards the inside.

• The door opens inward.
• He turned inward and closed the gate behind him.

Toward / Towards

Meaning: in the direction of someone or something.

• A man was walking towards the station.
• She moved toward the window.

Homeward

Meaning: towards home.

• It was getting late, so we started our homeward journey.
• The train was full of people heading homeward after work.

Seaward

Meaning: in the direction of the sea.

• When he looked seaward, he could see several ships.
• The hotel rooms face the seaward side of the island.

Eastward / Westward / Northward / Southward

Meaning: in the direction of a point of the compass.

• The explorers continued northward across the mountains.
• The road leads southward towards the coast.

Heavenward

Meaning: towards the sky or heaven (literary or poetic).

• She lifted her eyes heavenward in gratitude.
• The tall trees seemed to grow heavenward.

Windward

Meaning: towards the direction from which the wind is blowing.

• The yacht was sailing windward.
• The village lies on the windward side of the island.

Afterward / Afterwards

Meaning: after the time mentioned.

• We had dinner and went for a walk afterwards.
• Please stay afterward and help us tidy up.

-ward or -wards? (Important for British English)

In modern English:

-ward and -wards are both commonly used as adverbs:

  He looked upward / upwards.

  They walked homeward / homewards. (homewards is rarer)

In British English, -wards is more common in everyday speech:

• She walked towards the door.
• The ball rolled downwards.

However, when the word is used as an adjective before a noun, we normally use -ward, not -wards:

  ✅ an upward trend

  ✅ a backward step

  ❌ an upwards trend (incorrect)

Final thoughts

Words with -ward and -wards are extremely useful for describing movement, direction, and change. They appear frequently in stories, descriptions, reports, and even in Cambridge exam writing tasks.

Mastering them will help your English sound more precise, more natural, and more expressive — and will keep your writing moving in the right direction. 😉

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