Definition of directionnext
1
2
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 The film went on to receive six Academy Award nominations, winning three — for best cinematography, best art direction and best makeup. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026 From the next table, Debra Holbrook, 70, asked us for directions. Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 17 May 2026 From visual form to subject matter, Chinese animation is now flourishing in many different directions and has reached a world-class level. Partner Content, Variety, 17 May 2026 The table lamp at Tangent is a new direction. Anthony Paletta, Curbed, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for direction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for direction
Noun
  • L’Equipe reported last week that Marseille’s staff were running out of patience with him and that Beye had interrupted a training session in frustration after the 24-year-old ignored his instructions.
    Tom Williams, New York Times, 17 May 2026
  • For those wishing to hone their game, The Kingdom at Reynolds Lake Oconee, created in partnership with TaylorMade, offers innovative technology and personal instruction at the highest level.
    Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 16 May 2026
Noun
  • After the modernising ethos of the Eyraud era, this — the thinking went — was a way of putting football back at the very heart of the club’s management structure.
    Tom Williams, New York Times, 17 May 2026
  • This lasted until 2023, when new management company Storey Hotel Management (who also run Nanuku Resort in Fiji and the Ameswell Hotel in California) took over, and the resort has maintained its elegance and quiet luxury.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
Noun
  • Its only compass is artistic excellence.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 12 May 2026
  • As for steering a buggy to the Artemis base, compasses don’t work on the moon, and dust will adhere to optics, so NASA has pioneered plans to use Earth’s Galileo and GPS satellites to navigate.
    Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • But presidential results are a useful lens because of their high turnout and ability to offer a clearer view of partisan trends than congressional elections, which can be highly influenced by incumbency.
    Ashley Wu, New York Times, 18 May 2026
  • The bow-pump trend has been popping up beyond Cannes, too.
    Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 18 May 2026
Noun
  • According to the source, Foxx (who is already a dad of two) was working on getting his career back in order after his medical issues, leading to his brief breakup from Huckstepp.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
  • The paella is large and the tapas are, of course, small so order accordingly and perhaps study the menu beforehand.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
Noun
  • But within reason, there will be boundaries and parental supervision.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 15 May 2026
  • Entirely new operational roles appear around oversight, ethics, coordination and system supervision.
    Mira Tzur, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • Francis was able to turn the tide for a few moments, using the baseball bat to his advantage.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
  • Denistangneyjr | Istock | Getty Images Whether any of that is enough to help Collins resist the tide, however, remains to be seen.
    Garrett Downs, CNBC, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • The Chargers’ last game was a playoff loss to Vrabel’s Patriots, so nothing short of an edict from the NFL probably would have stopped the franchise’s social media team from referencing the Vrabel-Russini controversy.
    Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
  • The first Super Bowl-winning quarterback in franchise history never had his number officially retired, but there was an unofficial edict not to issue it for much of the past decade.
    Zach Berman, New York Times, 8 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Direction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direction. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on direction

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster