Master confusing words with ease
Northward vs. Northwards
Northward
Examples:
The compass needle pointed northward as they set sail.Farmers migrated northward seeking fertile land.The flock of geese flew northward as winter ended.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Northwards
/ˈnɔːθwədz/Examples:
The river flows steadily northwards every spring.Birds migrate northwards as the climate warms.Cities expand northwards with new developments.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Both northward and northwards can be used to describe movement in a northern direction.
- Northward is more common in American English, while northwards is often used in British English.
- Remember northward without the s as the American version, just like other directional terms that drop the s: backward and forward.
- Using northwards aligns with British English patterns, like towards and afterwards.
- Though they mean the same direction, northward sounds slightly more formal compared to northwards.
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