Toward vs Towards
Published January 25, 2023. Updated January 25, 2023.
Toward and towards can confuse many writers due to their small difference in spelling. Don’t be fooled, though. Toward and towards have the same meaning. A general rule of thumb is that toward is more often preferred by American English speakers, and towards is preferred by UK English speakers, but it can vary from speaker to speaker in each area.
Here are some definitions and examples to help make the use of these words clearer.
Toward/Towards (preposition)
- In the direction of something, someone, etc.
Examples:
The wolf slowly moved toward the rabbit.
The suspect was last seen fleeing towards the outskirts of town.
- In relation to
Examples:
I feel nothing towards him after he ditched me at the concert.
The neighbors feel nothing but hate toward each other.
- Just shortly before a given time.
Examples:
I plan on moving there toward the end of next year.
We’ll head over towards 8 o’clock.
- On behalf of something or someone; for the purpose of something or someone.
Examples:
All proceeds will go towards rebuilding the feral raccoon sanctuary near the playground.
She made regular payments each month toward her mortgage.
Notes: Some grammarians have tried to establish a difference between the two forms, but no consensus has been reached widely, and the distinction is seemingly arbitrary as the words are interchangeable.
Main Points
- Toward and towards are often thought to have different meanings, but they’re different forms of the same preposition.
- Although exceptions exist, US speakers and writers tend to prefer toward while UK ones prefer towards.