Toward the stern
Aftward means toward the back of a ship or aircraft—toward the stern or tail.
It functions as both adverb and adjective: The cargo shifted aftward during the storm.
The word belongs to nautical and aviation vocabulary, where precise directional terms matter.
Also spelled aftwards.
IDEA.org / Words / aftward
Toward the stern
Aftward means toward the back of a ship or aircraft—toward the stern or tail.
It functions as both adverb and adjective: The cargo shifted aftward during the storm.
The word belongs to nautical and aviation vocabulary, where precise directional terms matter.
Also spelled aftwards.
1. direction — backward, Toward what's behind; backwards (Toward what's behind); rearward (Toward the back); behind (At the rear); back · reverse · receding · retreating · trailing · astern
2. nautical — stern, Strict or ship's aft; astern (Toward a vessel's rear); sternward (Toward a vessel's rear); poop deck (Highest deck aft); quarterdeck · transom · rudder · tiller · helm · fantail · sternpost · wake · propeller · mizzenmast
3. rear — hindmost, Farthest back position; rearmost (Farthest to the back); posterior (Rear or later); tail (Rear animal appendage); end · back · hind · trailing · last · final · terminus
NAUTICAL/AIRCRAFT DIRECTIONaftward ≠ forward Onward in direction; fore · frontward · ahead · headward
aft, after, afterward, afterwards, abaft
Word data: Linguabase (CC0) · www.idea.org/words/aftward