What part of speech is “toward”

toward is a word used to indicate a specific direction, direction of movement, or point of origin. It is typically used in physical contexts, though its meaning can extend to other realms such as time and emotion. Toward is a preposition, always followed by a noun or pronoun to indicate an object.

When talking about the direction of movement, 'toward' can be used to indicate a destination or endpoint. When talking about a point of origin, 'toward' can be used to indicate a starting point. When talking about figurative contexts, 'toward' is typically preceded by a verb, used to express motion in the figurative sense.

1. Mary was walking toward the store.

2. The wind was blowing toward the south.

3. We have been making steady progress toward our goal.

Use 'toward' only for physical movement and not emotional or psychological movement ('appreciate toward someone', 'move toward something'). Not 'towards' since it has different meaning. Not interchangeable with other prepositions like 'to' or 'for'. Note differences in meaning between 'toward' and 'to' (expressing destination)