Standard Lemma guide

onward

adj · adv · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɒnwəd/
  • /ˈɑnwɚd/ Northern US or with the cot–caught merger
  • /ˈɔnwɚd/ Midland US, Southern US, without the cot–caught merger
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Scotland: /ˈɔnwəɾd/
  • CMU ARPABET: AO1 N W ER0 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Moving forward.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • There was an onward rush as the gates opened.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Advanced in a forward direction or toward an end.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

In a forward direction.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To keep going; to progress or persevere.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To pass (something) onward; to forward.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adverb

Meaning 6

in a forward direction

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • go ahead
  • the train moved ahead slowly
  • the boat lurched ahead
  • moved onward into the forest
  • they went slowly forward in the mud

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ahead, onwards, forward, forwards, forrader

Antonyms: none provided

7

adverb

Meaning 7

forward in time or order or degree

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • from that time forth
  • from the sixth century onward

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: forth, forward

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2en-der. Proto-Germanic *an Proto-West Germanic *ana Old English on Middle English on English on Proto-Indo-European *wert-der. Proto-Germanic *wardaz Old English -weard English -ward English onward From on + -ward.

Across languages

Translations

36 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: إِلَى الْأَمَام (ʔilā l-ʔamām) — In a forward direction
  • Bulgarian: напред (napred) — In a forward direction
  • Chinese Mandarin: 向前 (xiàngqián) — In a forward direction
  • Dutch: vooruit — In a forward direction
  • Finnish: eteenpäin — In a forward direction
  • Finnish: eespäin — In a forward direction
  • French: en avant — In a forward direction
  • German: vorwärts — In a forward direction
  • Greek: προς τα εμπρός (pros ta emprós) — In a forward direction
  • Hebrew: הָלְאָה (hál'a) — In a forward direction
  • Hungarian: előrehaladó — In a forward direction
  • Hungarian: előre — In a forward direction
  • Hungarian: tovább — In a forward direction
  • Irish: ar aghaidh — In a forward direction
  • Irish: chun cinn — In a forward direction
  • Italian: in avanti — In a forward direction
  • Italian: in poi — In a forward direction
  • Japanese: 前へ (mae e) — In a forward direction
  • Korean: 앞으로 (ap-euro) — In a forward direction
  • Latin: porrō — In a forward direction
  • Māori: ki mua — In a forward direction
  • Māori: whakamua — In a forward direction
  • Marathi: पुढे (puḍhe) — In a forward direction
  • Polish: w przód — In a forward direction
  • Polish: do przodu — In a forward direction
  • Portuguese: para diante — In a forward direction
  • Portuguese: a partir de agora — In a forward direction
  • Portuguese: avante — In a forward direction
  • Russian: вперёд (vperjód) — In a forward direction
  • Spanish: hacia adelante — In a forward direction
  • Spanish: para adelante — In a forward direction
  • Spanish: de frente — In a forward direction
  • Spanish: en adelante — In a forward direction
  • Spanish: a partir de ahora — In a forward direction
  • Swedish: framåt — In a forward direction
  • Welsh: ymlaen — In a forward direction
Real reading context

onward in complete knowledge articles