conduct 1 of 2

Definition of conductnext
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as in to direct
to cause to move to a central point or along a restricted pathway the gutter conducts water to the curb, thus protecting the house's basement

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to steer
to point out the way for (someone) especially from a position in front a job conducting tourists through the historical museum

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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conduct

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word conduct distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of conduct are control, direct, and manage. While all these words mean "to use one's powers to lead, guide, or dominate," conduct implies taking responsibility for the acts and achievements of a group.

conducted negotiations

In what contexts can control take the place of conduct?

The meanings of control and conduct largely overlap; however, control implies a regulating or restraining in order to keep within bounds or on a course.

controlling his appetite

When might direct be a better fit than conduct?

While in some cases nearly identical to conduct, direct implies constant guiding and regulating so as to achieve smooth operation.

directs the store's day-to-day business

When can manage be used instead of conduct?

The words manage and conduct can be used in similar contexts, but manage implies direct handling and manipulating or maneuvering toward a desired result.

manages a meat market

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conduct
Verb
The investigation was conducted by the Guilford Police Department and the Connecticut State Police Eastern District Major Crime Squad. Staff Reports, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026 Manager Stale Solbakken and his medical staff conducted urine tests to determine hydration levels. Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 29 June 2026
Noun
Those arrested for criminal conduct must be held accountable in our court system. Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 24 June 2026 Johnson was undone by revelations of his conduct during Covid lockdowns and Truss by the adverse market reaction to her 2022 mini-Budget. Ian King, CNBC, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for conduct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conduct
Verb
  • That enables Cadence’s system, which is supervised by physicians, to alert a clinician when a patient is deteriorating before a stroke or heart attack, for example.
    Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • Judge Stacy Street sentenced Beckwith to three years supervised probation, the court clerk confirmed to USA TODAY.
    Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • In Texas, parents have the fundamental legal right to direct the moral and religious upbringing of their children without state interference.
    Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 26 June 2026
  • In the movie, directed by Reiner, those are the three words Westley (Cary Elwes) uses while responding to requests from Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright).
    Erin Jensen, USA Today, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Being a pro athlete doesn’t exempt you from behaving respectfully in society.
    Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
  • But Dumont wanted to look beyond insects to find out know how the spindle behaves in mammalian cells like ours.
    Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Frank Carone agreed to accept bribes from Zhu and Chen, funneled through Anthony Carone, in exchange for steering a multimillion-dollar contract to house migrants at their Long Island City hotel, the indictment alleges.
    Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 24 June 2026
  • Ahead of Mulier’s February 2027 debut, the intention is that the new creative and business management line-up, including Bertelli and the next chief executive, will work together to steer Versace’s new era.
    Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • The system processes pilot inputs through computers and transmits electrical signals to flight controls, improving safety, reliability, maneuverability, and reducing aircraft weight by removing mechanical linkages.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 25 June 2026
  • While bedbugs are not known to spread or transmit disease, the Environmental Protection Agency considers the parasitic insects a pest that can cause other public health issues such as allergic reactions, secondary infections and mental health impacts on those living in infested homes.
    William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • Dini Miller, professor of urban pest management at Virginia Tech University, told Fox News Digital that places tend to get attention for bedbugs when people are visiting and looking for them.
    Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026
  • While the quarter itself contained few surprises, management struck an encouraging tone on the freight market, saying demand is beginning to stabilize after a multiyear downturn.
    Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 27 June 2026
Noun
  • As the race progressed, Schlossberg received heavy media scrutiny by The New York Times with reports of high turnover inside his campaign and allegations of erratic behavior.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 24 June 2026
  • In other words, sourcing behaviors are not so much changing as shifting geographically.
    Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • As part of his work overseeing health and performance programs at Google for 17 years, Newton Cheng researched the studies to understand the isolation and loneliness that can accompany working from home.
    Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 29 June 2026
  • Mozeliak will oversee day-to-day baseball operations while assisting the search for the next GM, team president Molly Jolly said in a news release.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Conduct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conduct. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.

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