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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 OlloNi takes the idea in another direction by connecting that personalization to a memory system that can survive beyond the original robot. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026 Avoid scrubbing, and follow the grout lines in one direction with the toothbrush. — Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 5 Sep. 2026 For more even distribution, apply half of the seed in one direction (for example, north-south) and the other half in the opposite direction (east-west). — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Sep. 2026 The reports will help give Wall Street and the Federal Reserve a clearer picture of inflation's direction. — ABC News, 4 Sep. 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
  • Ask for the source, confirm the reservation, or reread the instructions yourself.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2026
  • Yet his Parma team-mates ranked lowly too, suggesting this was a tactical instruction.
    — Aston Villa, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of instruction
Noun
  • The third-year head coach learned from his team management mistakes from a 3-9 season that ended with eight consecutive losses.
    — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Recently, bond traders and asset management firms from London and Sydney to Singapore have begun noticing a shift in Japanese capital flows.
    — , CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of management
Noun
  • This hubbub somehow awakens the mysterious powers of the titular compass, transporting the twosome to ‘Golden City’ in China, modeled after the Forbidden City, where a storyline based on Chinese mythology is about to get going.
    — Caspar Salmon, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of compass
Noun
  • Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little became the face of the trend last year, making a 70-yarder in preseason and then a regular-season record 68-yarder.
    — Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • In the 2002 midterms, Republicans again bucked the historical trend, gaining seats in both chambers following the post-9/11 political climate.
    — Cal Thomas, Arkansas Online, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of trend
Noun
  • The attack on mail ballots comes as Germany approaches a potentially historic state election that could shatter one of the taboos of its postwar political order by opening the door to a far-right government.
    — Erik Kirschbaum, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Some breeds are more prone to joint injuries, so take care that your pup is in good working order for a long outdoor walk.
    — Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of order
Noun
  • Leaders need to know who is responsible for clinical validation, bias assessment, regulatory compliance, vendor oversight, explainability, human supervision and ongoing performance monitoring.
    — Anri Amir David, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Tesla’s own documentation states that Autopilot and Full Self-Driving require active driver supervision and are not autonomous driving systems.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of supervision
Noun
  • But the political tide is shifting, with cities across the country switching to holding local elections when people vote for state and federal offices, too.
    — David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
  • However, government forces turned the tide earlier this month, striking Houthi positions on the Red Sea, on Yemen's western coast.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of tide
Noun
  • The film by and large follows the edicts of Iranian neorealism, with unobtrusive observations and a naturalistic soundscape.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Last week, OutKick explained how Magnus undermined his own edict and vision by hiring back Stan Verrett to host a throwaway show on NFL Network.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 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 17 Sep. 2026.

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