direction

noun

də-ˈrek-shən How to pronounce direction (audio)
Definition of directionnext
1
as in instruction
a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned we were given very specific directions for the first part of the exam

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in management
the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something working under the close direction of the engineering supervisor

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3
as in compass
a guiding or motivating purpose or principle a life that seemed to lack any direction other than the mindless pursuit of empty pleasures

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4
as in trend
a prevailing or general movement or inclination some older people worry about the overall direction that political discourse has taken lately

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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 direction Fashion has actually been nudging us in this direction for a while. — Georgia Brown, Glamour, 29 Aug. 2026 The price trend may be reversing direction more quickly than the YoY version of the CPI can detect it. — George Calhoun, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 Apply half of the seed in one direction (east to west) and the other half in the opposite direction (north to south). — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 29 Aug. 2026 The behavior and the awareness are moving in opposite directions. — Glenn Llopis, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for direction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for direction
  1. instruction
  2. management
  3. compass
  4. trend
  5. order
  6. supervision
  7. tide
  8. edict
Noun
  • Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have uncovered a new processor attack that can bypass defenses in Intel and AMD chips by exploiting a security gap lasting only a handful of instructions.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • John’s hacking skills prove useful, as does the T-800’s extensive firepower—although per John’s instructions, there are zero human fatalities.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of instruction
Noun
  • In addition to speech, our management of a localized fire for food, safety, and comfort is another uniquely human behavior, one that seems to have coincided with the development of complex spoken language.
    — Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Shelley served as the Warriors’ associate general counsel and director of business and legal affairs and risk management, and Vasquez was the vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion.
    — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of management
Noun
  • In the third volume of her Diaspora Quartet, Lee follows the Koh family from Australia to Korea to the United States as their paterfamilias John hews to his strong inner compass.
    — Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The challenge is not usually a lack of capability, but the absence of an integrated compass, alignment and feedback system.
    — Kumar Rupesh, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of compass
Noun
  • Here are a few more tips from our experts on raising a self-sufficient child in the face of the snowplow parenting trend.
    — Cheryl Maguire, Parents, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Also in Shanghai, and increasingly elsewhere, brands continue to favor the slow pop-up model over a long-term real estate commitment due to not only the uncertain outlook, but the incredibly fast churn of market trends.
    — Denni Hu, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of trend
Noun
  • If the teams refuse to enroll the players who benefit from the TRO, those players could petition Hoffman to clarify that his order also blocks the SEC from punishing schools.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The draft order was picked at random, but the league’s players didn’t pick a number out of a hat or see who could hit a golf shot closest to a hole.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of order
Noun
  • Many renovations are complete, including the transformation of one building into shop rooms full of tools that students will use to work on real-world projects under faculty supervision.
    — Jon Marcus, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, a current CFPB staffer told ProPublica that the number of policy attorneys, who help direct supervision work and identify violations of law, had shrunk from typically between 40 and 50 lawyers down to five.
    — Andy Kroll, ProPublica, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of supervision
Noun
  • Of the recent tide of Gen-Z offerings, this is the best of the bunch, with its mix of absurdist humor and heartfelt sentiment.
    — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Ministers believe this will reflect changing viewing habits, as well as combat the tide of misinformation and disinformation on online services.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of tide
Noun
  • Countless speakers left the Pale of Settlement – the territory in Eastern Europe where Jews had been granted permission to live under an edict of the Russian czars.
    — Ilan Stavans, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The president’s orders and edicts have no basis in reality, are nonsensical and are making our nation significantly less safe.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of edict

Browse Nearby Words

directing
direction
directionless
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Cite this Entry

“Direction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direction. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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