rightwards

USAGE SUMMARY

"rightwards" is a correct word in English and it can be used in written English.
It is an adverb that means "toward the right" and it can be used in any context where the direction of something toward the right is described. For example: The car turned rightwards and continued down the road.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

No Palestinian state… From the moment he decided to hold elections, Netanyahu veered rightwards," he added.

The Guardian

What was once a group dominated by centrist Christian Democrats will be pulled rightwards by their membership.

The Economist

As for their Tory allies, the Lib Dems look at their positions on everything from Europe to crime, immigration and the environment, and sense the Tories moving rightwards, away from the modernising centre ground once claimed by Mr Cameron.

The Economist

The Supreme Court has moved so sharply rightwards that Justice Brennan, by the end of his long career, often found himself in lonely dissent.The present court is not devoid of quasi-liberals, defined now as those who take a more modern and expansive view of the constitution than the conservative majority.

The Economist

Will Mr Portillo do any better?Originally a left-winger who spent much of the war in exile in Mexico, Mr Portillo has hopped increasingly rightwards from one political party to another, finishing up in the unlikely bosom of the Guatemalan Republican Front FRGGuatemalan Republican Front FRG

The Economist

This desert valley, which once represented the most extreme pleasures in American consumerism, now has the most severe hangover.In this section As boomers wrinkle Tilting rightwards Fathers and sons Noah problem Party over Goths at the gate ReprintsThere are signs of recovery, but they lag those in the rest of the country.

The Economist

Spain's Socialists under Felipe Gonzalez, in power from 1982 until last year, moved steadily rightwards in both style and content.

The Economist

France's Socialists moved sharply rightwards under François Mitterrand in 1983.But in the past half-decade or so it has become apparent as it did in Britain that the parties of the French and German centre-left are loth to accept that their countries need further free-market radicalism including pension, labour and welfare reform to survive in today's more competitive world.

The Economist

The likelihood that Mr Aso will adopt a top-down approach to policy is further suggested by the appointment of the relatively lightweight Hirofumi Nakasone as foreign minister, a portfolio that Mr Aso himself once held and that he is likely to oversee closely.Leaning to the rightDoes this imply a rightwards shift in foreign policy, especially in light of Mr Aso's own well-known hawkish views?

The Economist

Even before his party reforms, the tendency of Labour governments had been to move rightwards not leftwards under the pressures of the real world.

The Economist

As for Agora, some in the government have made much of the fact that the scandal came to light only after a steady slide in Gazeta Wyborcza's circulation.Veering rightwards again?Who has gained?

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "rightwards" when you want to emphasize the direction of movement towards the right, especially in contexts where precision is important, such as describing political shifts or physical movements. For variety, consider alternatives like "toward the right" or "to the right".

Common error

Avoid using "rightwards" and "rightward" interchangeably without considering the context. "Rightwards" is an adverb, while "rightward" can be an adjective or adverb. Using the wrong form can disrupt the flow and clarity of your writing. It's advisable to use "rightwards" when you specifically need an adverb.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "rightwards" is as an adverb of direction. It modifies verbs to indicate movement or orientation toward the right. Ludwig AI shows numerous examples from news and media sources where "rightwards" describes shifts in political ideologies or physical movements.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "rightwards" is a grammatically correct adverb that specifies movement or direction toward the right. According to Ludwig AI, it's frequently used in News & Media. While it's a versatile word, bear in mind that while both "rightwards" and "rightward" relate to the direction of right, "rightwards" functions specifically as an adverb, whereas "rightward" can be either an adjective or an adverb. When precision is important or in professional context using "rightwards" or one of it's alternatives such as "toward the right" or "to the right" are excellent choices.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rightward

A less common synonym that functions as an adjective or adverb.

toward the right

Uses a prepositional phrase instead of an adverb to express the direction.

to the right

Similar to "toward the right", but emphasizes the destination more than the movement.

in a rightward direction

Replaces the adverb with a noun phrase, making the expression more formal.

veer to the right

Expresses a change in direction toward the right.

on the right-hand side

Specifies a position or side, rather than a direction of movement.

to its right

Indicates a relative direction, specifying that something is moving to the right of something else.

clockwise

Describes a circular movement towards the right, rather than a linear direction.

dexter

A formal or technical term for "right", often used in heraldry or anatomy.

eastward

Indicates movement towards the east, which can be a rightward direction depending on the context.

FAQs

How can I use "rightwards" in a sentence?

"Rightwards" is an adverb that describes movement or direction toward the right. For example, "The political party shifted "rightwards" after the election."

What are some alternatives to using "rightwards"?

You can use phrases like "toward the right", "to the right", or "in a rightward direction" as alternatives to "rightwards", depending on the specific context.

Is "rightwards" the same as "rightward"?

While closely related, "rightwards" is primarily an adverb, whereas "rightward" can function as either an adjective or an adverb. Choose the form that best fits the grammatical structure of your sentence.

In what contexts is it appropriate to use "rightwards"?

"Rightwards" is suitable in contexts where you want to precisely indicate movement or a shift toward the right, whether physically or metaphorically, such as in political analysis or geographical descriptions.