southeast

1 of 3

adverb

south·​east sau̇th-ˈēst How to pronounce southeast (audio)
nautical sau̇-ˈēst
: to, toward, or in the southeast

southeast

2 of 3

noun

1
a
: the general direction between south and east
b
: the point midway between the south and east compass points
2
Southeast : regions or countries lying to the southeast of a specified or implied point of orientation

southeast

3 of 3

adjective

1
: coming from the southeast
a southeast wind
2
: situated toward or at the southeast
the southeast corner

Examples of southeast in a Sentence

Adverb It's a few miles southeast of here. Noun A mountain range is in the southeast of the country. Rain is moving into the Southeast. He grew up in the Southeast. Adjective My office is in the southeast corner of the building.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb
The Gann Fire ignited Monday in a rural area southeast of New Hogan Lake in Calaveras County. — Jason Green, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026 The Honda spun around, stopping facing southeast in a driveway along the south side of the road. — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
The fire’s rapid initial growth was fueled by south-to-southeast winds of 6 to 10 mph, with gusts of up to 15 mph, according to the National Weather Service. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026 On Wednesday, a loud explosion was heard near a vessel 95 nautical miles (around 109 miles) southeast of Aden, Yemen. — Todd Symons, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Four people were injured Sunday in a head-on collision in southeast Thornton, according to the fire department. — Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 9 Aug. 2026 For good measure, there was even a car chase through the river’s portion in southeast Los Angeles in February. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for southeast

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of southeast was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing southeast

Rhymes for southeast

See All Rhymes for southeast

Browse Nearby Words

South Dublin
southeast
Southeast Asia
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Southeast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/southeast. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

southeast

1 of 3 adverb
south·​east sau̇-ˈthēst How to pronounce southeast (audio)
nautical sau̇-ˈēst
: to or toward the southeast

southeast

2 of 3 noun
1
: the direction between south and east
2
capitalized : regions or countries southeast of a point that is mentioned or understood

southeast

3 of 3 adjective
1
: situated toward or at the southeast
the southeast corner
2
: coming from the southeast
a southeast wind

More from Merriam-Webster on southeast

Nglish: Translation of southeast for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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