toward
gb/təwˈɔɹd/ us/təwˈɔɹd/
A1
English
~ 2700
Senses
0 senses
preposition
A1
relation
1
in the direction of
Showing movement or position in the direction of a person, place, or thing.
Usage pattern:
to move [something/someone] toward [something/someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'toward' with 'forward'; 'forward' means in front, but not necessarily in the direction of a specific object or place.
Synonyms
towards (Variant spelling used mainly in British English with no difference in meaning.)
|
in the direction of (A longer phrase with the same literal meaning, often used for clarity.)
Antonyms
away from (Indicates movement in the opposite direction.)
Collocations
walk toward
|move toward
|look toward
|run toward
|head toward
Themes
daily life
|travel
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She walked toward the park to meet her friends.
- The cat ran toward the door when it heard a noise.
- He pointed toward the sky to show the plane.
- They swam toward the shore as the sun set.
- The soldiers marched toward the capital.
Learner examples
- I walked toward the school.
- He is running toward the bus.
- The dog goes toward the boy.
- She looks toward the window.
- We move toward the big tree.
preposition
B1
relation
2
with regard to
Showing how you feel or act about a person or thing.
Usage pattern:
[someone's] attitude toward [something/someone]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'toward' with 'about' when discussing attitudes; 'about' refers to the topic, while 'toward' refers to stance or feeling.
Synonyms
regarding (More formal; refers to subject matter rather than emotional attitude.)
|
concerning (Neutral and formal; more about topic than emotion.)
Antonyms
against (Indicates opposition rather than a neutral or positive stance.)
Collocations
attitude toward
|feeling toward
|behavior toward
|approach toward
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her kindness toward strangers is remarkable.
- He has a negative attitude toward change.
- Their policy toward immigrants has changed recently.
- I noticed his coldness toward his colleagues.
- She showed great respect toward her teachers.
Learner examples
- I am kind toward animals.
- He is friendly toward me.
- She is angry toward her brother.
- They are helpful toward new students.
- We are polite toward our neighbors.
preposition
B1
relation
3
close to a time or event
Happening near a certain time or event.
Usage pattern:
toward [a specific time/event]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'toward' with 'until'; 'until' means up to a point, while 'toward' means near that point but not necessarily reaching it exactly.
Synonyms
near (Can apply to space or time; less formal.)
|
around (Casual and approximate; often used for times.)
Antonyms
after (Indicates happening later than a time/event rather than close to it.)
Collocations
toward evening
|toward midnight
|toward the end
Themes
time
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Toward evening, the wind grew stronger.
- We expect temperatures to drop toward midnight.
- Toward the end of the meeting, tensions rose.
- He grew nervous toward his performance date.
- The streets got busy toward lunchtime.
Learner examples
- Toward night, it gets cold.
- We eat dinner toward 7 p.m.
- The shop closes toward midnight.
- I feel tired toward the end of class.
- It rains toward winter.
Grammar
Dictionary form
toward
IPA
GB/təwˈɔɹd/
US/təwˈɔɹd/
Syllables & stress
to - ward (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ward)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: toward
- Plural: towards
Word family
Forms
towards
noun A2
Expressions
a step toward
1/ə stˈɛp təwˈɔɹd/
fixed phrase
action moving closer to goal
An action that helps you get closer to what you want.
Examples
- This agreement is a step toward peace.
- Learning English is a step toward studying abroad.
toward a goal
1/təwˈɔɹd ə ɡˈoʊl/
fixed phrase
in direction of an aim or objective
Moving or working in order to reach something you want.
Examples
- She is working hard toward her goal of becoming a doctor.
- They took steps toward a cleaner environment.
toward the end
1/təwˈɔɹd ðə ˈɛnd/
fixed phrase
near the final part of something
Close to when something finishes.
Examples
- Toward the end of the film, I fell asleep.
- We got more questions toward the end of the class.