Toward vs Towards

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Toward

Top 2,000 (common) B1

Towards

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 preposition

Most common: Towards

	Toward	Towards
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //təˈwɔːd// 🇺🇸 //təˈwɔrd//	🇬🇧 /["/təˈwɔːdz/","/təˈwɔːd/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/tɔːrdz/","/tɔːrd/"]/
Meaning	In the direction of something	In the direction of something.
Example	She walked toward the store.	They were heading towards the German border.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	B1	A2
Part of speech		preposition
Collocations	walk toward, lean toward, toward the end, head toward	walk towards, move towards, head towards
Antonyms	away, against	away, backward
Common mistakes	Confusing with 'towards' which is less common but acceptable in British English., Using 'toward' in a figurative sense incorrectly, like 'toward a solution' without clear context.	Confused with 'toward' — remember they are interchangeable but 'towards' is more common in British English., Incorrectly using 'towards' when the direction is not physical — use it only for direction or goals.
Usage notes	Used to indicate direction or focus. Neutral in tone, suitable for both spoken and written contexts. Avoid in overly formal contexts where 'in the direction of' may be preferred.	Use 'towards' when indicating direction or goal. It’s suitable in both spoken and written English, but avoid in very formal contexts where 'in the direction of' might be preferred.

See it in real clips

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

The light's passed on, away towards the north.

Breaking Bad › S1 E3

Got a couple of Dooley tracks headed away, towards the road.

Stranger Things › S1 E1

It stomps towards you.

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

The light's passed on, away towards the north.

Breaking Bad › S1 E3

Got a couple of Dooley tracks headed away, towards the road.

Towards

Frequently asked questions: Toward vs Towards

What's the difference between Toward and Towards?

Toward: In the direction of something Towards: In the direction of something.

Which is more common: Toward and Towards?

Towards is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Toward and Towards?

Toward is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Toward and Towards the same CEFR level?

Toward: B1, Towards: A2 on the CEFR scale.

Can you show an example of each?

Toward: She walked toward the store. Towards: They were heading towards the German border.

Can I use Toward and Towards interchangeably?

Not always. Toward and Towards are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.