east
gb/ˈist/ us/ˈist/
A1
English
~ 1900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
The compass direction of sunrise
The direction where the sun rises, opposite west.
Usage pattern:
[something] is to the east of [place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'east' with 'eastern' when describing location. 'East' is a noun or adverb, 'eastern' is an adjective.
Synonyms
orient (More formal or literary term for the east as a direction or region.)
Antonyms
west (The opposite cardinal direction, where the sun sets.)
Collocations
due east
|east coast
|to the east
|facing east
|east wind
Themes
geography
|navigation
|travel
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The city lies to the east of the river.
- The sun rises in the east.
- They traveled east for several days before reaching the coast.
- Our hotel room faces east, so we get the morning sun.
- The wind is coming from the east today.
Learner examples
- The sun comes up in the east.
- Japan is to the east of China.
- We drove east to the mountains.
- My window looks to the east.
- A warm wind came from the east.
adjective
A2
property
2
Situated toward the east
In or toward the direction where the sun rises.
Usage pattern:
[place/building] is on the east side of [place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'east' instead of 'eastern' for regions, e.g., 'East Europe' instead of 'Eastern Europe'.
Synonyms
eastern (More common for describing large areas or regions rather than specific sides.)
Antonyms
west (Opposite directional location or orientation.)
Collocations
east side
|east-facing window
|east entrance
Themes
geography
|navigation
|space
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Our house has an east-facing garden.
- The east wall of the church is decorated with stained glass.
- The city’s east entrance is often busy in the morning.
Learner examples
- I live on the east side of town.
- The restaurant has an east door.
- The school has an east wall with big windows.
adverb
A1
relation
3
Toward the east direction
In the direction where the sun rises.
Usage pattern:
to go/travel/move east
Synonyms
eastward (Slightly more formal or literary term for movement toward the east.)
Antonyms
west (Opposite direction of travel.)
Collocations
head east
|drive east
|fly east
Themes
geography
|navigation
|space
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They drove east until they reached the ocean.
- The ship sailed east for three days.
- Birds migrate east in spring.
Learner examples
- We walked east to the park.
- The car goes east on this road.
- The train moves east every morning.
Noun
B1
entity
4
Eastern part of a country or world
The eastern part of a country or the world.
Usage pattern:
the East [of place]
Synonyms
orient (More literary or historical term for East Asia and surrounding regions.)
Antonyms
west (Western regions as opposed to eastern ones.)
Collocations
Middle East
|Far East
|East Asia
Themes
geography
|culture
|space
|travel
Examples
- He grew up in the east of England.
- Trade between Europe and the East increased in the 19th century.
- Many tourists visit countries in the Far East.
Learner examples
- I live in the east of my country.
- The East has many big cities.
- We read about life in the Far East.
Grammar
Dictionary form
east
IPA
GB/ˈist/
US/ˈist/
Syllables & stress
east (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (east)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: east
Word family
Expressions
East Coast
1/ˈist kˈoʊst/
fixed phrase
Eastern coastal region, especially USA
The eastern coastal area of a country, especially the United States along the Atlantic Ocean.
Examples
- I grew up on the East Coast of the United States.
- Many people travel to the East Coast for summer vacations.
Far East
1/fˈɑɹ ˈist/
fixed phrase
East and Southeast Asian countries
Countries in East and Southeast Asia, such as China, Japan, and Thailand.
Examples
- He spent several years working in the Far East.
- The company imports goods from the Far East.
Middle East
1/mˈɪdəl ˈist/
fixed phrase
Region in Western Asia and North Africa
A region that includes countries like Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Egypt.
Examples
- She studies politics in the Middle East.
- Oil is a major export from the Middle East.