Toward (also spelled towards) means in the direction of something or someone. When you walk toward school, you're moving in that direction. When a plant grows toward sunlight, it's reaching in the direction where the light is brightest.

The word can describe physical movement, like turning your head toward a sound you hear, or pointing toward a landmark. But it also describes attitudes and feelings: having kind feelings toward someone means you feel friendly in their direction, so to speak. Working toward a goal means everything you're doing aims in that direction.

Toward can also mean approaching a time or amount. If it's toward evening, it's getting close to that time. If a fundraiser has collected toward a hundred dollars, it's approaching but hasn't quite reached that amount yet.

Both toward and towards mean exactly the same thing. Americans tend to use toward more often, while British speakers often prefer towards. Either spelling is perfectly correct, like choosing between “color” and “colour.” Pick whichever sounds better to you.