Standard Lemma guide

seaward

adj · adv · name · 8 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: /ˈsiːwəd/
  • General-American: /ˈsiwəɹd/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -iːwə(ɹ)d
  • CMU ARPABET: S IY1 W ER0 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Being in or facing towards the sea.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: oceanward, oceanwards
  • The landward side of the fort faced more dangerous guns than the seaward side, which only faced what could be put on a ship.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: oceanward, oceanwards

Antonyms: shoreward, shorewards, beachward, beachwards, landward, landwards

Broader terms: waterward, waterwards

2

adv

Meaning 2

In the direction of the sea, toward the sea.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: oceanward, oceanwards
  • Ever the sailor's widow looked seaward, hoping to see her missing man coming home.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: oceanward, oceanwards

Antonyms: shoreward, shorewards, beachward, beachwards, landward, landwards

Broader terms: waterward, waterwards

3

name

Meaning 3

A surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective

Meaning 4

(of winds) coming from the sea toward the land

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an inshore breeze
  • an onshore gale
  • sheltered from seaward winds

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: inshore, onshore, shoreward

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective

Meaning 5

(of winds) coming from the land

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • offshore winds

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: offshore

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

directed or situated away from inland regions and toward the sea or coast

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • from the hill he took a seaward course
  • on the seaward side of the road

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adverb

Meaning 7

in the direction of the sea

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the sailor looked seaward

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: seawards, asea

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

the direction toward the sea

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: direction

History

Etymology

From Middle English seaward, seward (attested only as an adjective), equivalent to sea + -ward.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: zeewaarts — in the direction toward the sea
  • Finnish: merenpuoleinen — in the direction toward the sea
  • Dutch: zeewaarts — toward the sea
  • Finnish: merelle — toward the sea
  • Finnish: merelle päin — toward the sea
  • Māori: whakatemoana — toward the sea