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Definition of "southwest" []

  • The direction or point on the mariner's compass halfway between due south and due west, or 135° west of due north. (noun)
  • An area or region lying in the southwest. (noun)
  • A region of the southwest United States generally including New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, California, and Nevada and sometimes Utah and Colorado. (noun)
  • To, toward, of, facing, or in the southwest. (adjective)
  • Originating in or coming from the southwest: a southwest wind. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "southwest" in a sentence
  • "The statement also did not define what it meant by the term "southwest Asia.""
  • "The fact a smaller border crossing remains open in the southwest is a sign that Pakistan is giving the U.S. and NATO some breathing room, he said."
  • "An unusual experiment featuring equal parts science, environmental optimism and Native American capitalist ambition is unfolding here on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation in southwest Colorado."