Retirement Benefits (Narrative) (Details) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 01, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) item shares	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) item shares	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) shares
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of annual contribution equal to eligible prior year wages		5.00%
Number of years of service		2 years
Common shares issued from treasury stock for benefit plans		$ 14,846	$ 14,741	$ 14,014
Common shares issued from treasury stock for benefit plans, shares | shares		158	202	199
Shares of Woodward stock held in Woodward Retirement Savings Plan | shares		3,623	3,955
Accrued liabilities		$ 11,701	$ 11,475
Treasury Stock at Cost [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Common shares issued from treasury stock for benefit plans		$ 5,673	$ 7,584	$ 7,513
Common shares issued from treasury stock for benefit plans, shares | shares		158	202	199
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
UK High Court Ruling Amendment		$ 601
Projected benefit obligation		297,130	253,517	$ 227,499
Fair value of plan assets		234,133	227,722	224,712
Obligation assumed in L'Orange aquisition			39,257
Current portion of pension obligation		1,539	1,322
Net periodic retirement (benefit) cost		(1,238)	(2,499)	(610)
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		2,986	3,225
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member] | Pooled funds: Index linked U.K. government securities fund [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		5,491	4,913
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member] | Pooled funds: Index linked U.K. long-term government securities fund [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		7,898	6,817
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member] | Mutual funds: U.S. corporate bond fund [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		64,514	54,699
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member] | Pooled funds: Index linked U.K. corporate bonds fund [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		16,737	16,121
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member] | Pooled funds: Japanese fixed income securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		4,915	4,968
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member] | Pooled funds: International fixed income securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		1,710	1,730
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member] | Mutual funds: U.S. equity large cap fund [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		56,829	60,176
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member] | Mutual funds: International equity large cap growth fund [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		46,645	47,559
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member] | Pooled funds: Japanese equity securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		2,518	2,506
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member] | Pooled funds: International equity securities [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		2,226	2,214
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member] | Pooled funds: Index linked U.K. equity fund [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		3,738	4,326
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member] | Pooled funds: Index linked international equity fund [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		5,438	5,973
Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member] | Business Acquisition, Acquiree - L'Orange [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Obligation assumed in L'Orange aquisition	$ 39,257
Current portion of pension obligation	$ 1,143
Net periodic retirement (benefit) cost		2,004	673
Contributions paid		782	219
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated benefit obligation		$ 26,671	27,985
Option to elect company provided medical insurance coverage up to this age and a Medicare supplemental plan after this age | item		65
Age employees were eligible to participate in plan | item		55
Approximate number of retired employees and their covered dependents and beneficiaries currently providing postretirement benefits		695
Approximate number of active employees and their covered dependants and beneficiaries who may receive postretirement benefits in the future		8
As a result of a plan amendment, all postretirement medical benefits are fully insured for retirees who have attained this age		65
Projected benefit obligation		$ 26,671	27,985	32,252
Fair value of plan assets
Current portion of pension obligation		2,048	2,249
Net periodic retirement (benefit) cost		$ 1,209	778	1,301
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Years of service required to be eligible to participate in plan		10 years
United States [Member] | Woodward Retirement Savings Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated benefit obligation			150,032
United States [Member] | Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
UK High Court Ruling Amendment
Discount rate support/source data		Woodward uses a bond portfolio matching analysis based on recently traded, non-callable bonds rated AA or better that have at least $50 million outstanding to determine the benefit obligations at year end.
Accumulated benefit obligation		$ 175,595
Projected benefit obligation		175,595	150,032	161,130
Fair value of plan assets		170,556	165,342	160,332
Obligation assumed in L'Orange aquisition
Net periodic retirement (benefit) cost		$ (2,825)	$ (2,660)	(860)
Convergence period		10 years	10 years
Long-term rate | item		0.75	0.75
United States [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Discount rate support/source data		Woodward used a bond portfolio matching analysis based on recently traded, non-callable bonds rated AA or better that have at least $50 million outstanding to determine the benefit obligations at year end.
Convergence period		10 years	10 years
Long-term rate | item		0.75	0.75
Other Countries [Member] | Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
UK High Court Ruling Amendment		$ 601
Discount rate support/source data		Woodward uses a high-quality corporate bond yield curve matched with separate cash flows to develop a single rate to determine the single rate equivalent to settle the entire benefit obligations in each jurisdiction. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, the discount rate used to determine periodic service cost and interest cost components of the overall benefit costs was based on spot rates derived from the same high-quality corporate bond yield curve used to determine the September 30, 2018 and 2017 benefit obligation, respectively, matched with separate cash flows for each future year.
Projected benefit obligation		$ 121,535	103,485	66,369
Fair value of plan assets		63,577	62,380	64,380
Obligation assumed in L'Orange aquisition			39,257
Current portion of pension obligation		1,539	1,322
Net periodic retirement (benefit) cost		1,587	161	$ 250
United Kingdom
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Estimated future employer contributions in the next fiscal year		657
Fair value of plan assets		52,105
United Kingdom | Woodward Retirement Savings Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated benefit obligation			$ 50,594
United Kingdom | Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
UK High Court Ruling Amendment		601
Accumulated benefit obligation		56,389
Projected benefit obligation		$ 58,494
United Kingdom | Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Discount rate support/source data		Woodward uses a high-quality corporate bond yield curve matched with separate cash flows to develop a single rate to determine the single rate equivalent to settle the entire benefit obligations in each jurisdiction.
Annual improvement rate | item		1.5	1.5
Japan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Estimated future employer contributions in the next fiscal year		$ 234
Fair value of plan assets		11,472
Japan | Woodward Retirement Savings Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated benefit obligation			$ 9,975
Japan | Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated benefit obligation		10,081
Projected benefit obligation		11,110
Germany [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Estimated future employer contributions in the next fiscal year		1,061
Germany [Member] | Woodward Retirement Savings Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated benefit obligation			$ 40,358
Germany [Member] | Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated benefit obligation		51,908
Projected benefit obligation		$ 51,931
Japan And United Kingdom [Member] | Defined Benefit Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Annual improvement rate | item		1.5	1.5