west
gb/wˈɛst/ us/wˈɛst/
A1
English
~ 1600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
relation
1
Direction where the sun sets
The direction where the sun goes down in the evening.
Usage pattern:
[something] is to the west of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'west' with 'western', which is an adjective describing something related to the west.
Synonyms
occident (More formal or literary term for 'west', rarely used in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
east (The opposite cardinal direction, where the sun rises.)
Collocations
to the west
|west coast
|face west
|head west
|west wind
Themes
geography
|navigation
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The mountains are to the west of the city.
- We watched the sun sink in the west.
- A cold wind blew from the west.
- They traveled west for several days.
- The storm is moving toward the west.
Learner examples
- The school is west of my house.
- The sun sets in the west.
- We drove west to reach the beach.
- A river flows from east to west.
- The wind comes from the west today.
adjective
A2
relation
2
Facing or located toward west
Located in or looking toward the direction where the sun sets.
Usage pattern:
[something] is on the west side of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'west' (direction) with 'western' (style, culture, or general region).
Synonyms
westerly (More formal or technical term, often used for wind or currents.)
Antonyms
east (Opposite direction or location.)
Collocations
west side
|west entrance
|west-facing windows
Themes
geography
|navigation
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Our hotel room has a west view over the bay.
- The west entrance to the park is closed.
- The city’s west neighborhoods are older than the east ones.
Learner examples
- The house has a west door.
- We live on the west side of town.
- The garden is on the west part of the land.
adverb
A1
relation
3
Toward the west direction
Moving toward where the sun sets.
Usage pattern:
to go west to [place]
Synonyms
westward (Slightly more formal; often used in written or literary contexts.)
Antonyms
eastward (Moving toward the east instead of the west.)
Collocations
travel west
|head west
|go west
Themes
geography
|navigation
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We drove west until we reached the mountains.
- Birds migrate west in autumn here.
- The army marched steadily west.
Learner examples
- We go west to see my uncle.
- The train moves west every morning.
- They walk west to reach school.
Noun
B1
entity
4
Region in western part of world/area
An area in the western part of a country or the world.
Synonyms
western world (Refers more specifically to culturally Western countries, often Europe and North America.)
Antonyms
the East (Refers to eastern regions or countries.)
Collocations
the American West
|the West Bank
|Western Europe
Themes
geography
|culture
|space
|politics
Examples
- He grew up in the rural West of Ireland.
- Trade between East and West has increased.
- Many people moved to the American West during that time.
Learner examples
- I live in the west of Spain.
- The West has many big cities.
- People from the West visit our country.
Grammar
Dictionary form
west
IPA
GB/wˈɛst/
US/wˈɛst/
Syllables & stress
west (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (west)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: west
Noun
- Base: west
- Plural: west
Word family
Expressions
go west
1/ɡˈoʊ wˈɛst/
idiom
informal
To die or fail completely
To die or to be destroyed completely.
Examples
- Many old buildings have gone west over the years.
- My phone went west after I dropped it in water.
West Coast
1/wˈɛst kˈoʊst/
fixed phrase
Western coastal region of country
The western coastal area of a country, especially California, Oregon, and Washington in the USA.
Examples
- She moved to the West Coast for work.
- The West Coast is famous for its beaches and tech industry.
West End
1/wˈɛst ˈɛnd/
fixed phrase
London theater and entertainment district
An area in central London known for its theaters and shows.
Examples
- We saw a musical in the West End last night.
- The West End attracts many tourists each year.