directional
adjective
di·rec·tion·al
də-ˈrek-sh(ə-)nəl 
1
: of, relating to, or indicating direction in space:
a
: suitable for detecting the direction from which radio signals come or for sending out radio signals in one direction only
a directional antenna
b
: operating most effectively in a particular direction
a directional microphone
2
: relating to direction or guidance especially of thought or effort
Examples of directional in a Sentence
We work with maps to improve the students' directional skills.
the directional signal lights on an automobile
The radio has a directional antenna.
Recent Examples on the Web
The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless headphone is 29% off and built for gamers who don’t want to charge every night, offering days of battery life, crisp directional sound, and a comfy fit that lasts through marathon sessions.
—
PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
Belts are also making a strong comeback, defining waists over outerwear and dresses, while headwear has become unexpectedly directional again.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
The technology uses specialized connectors known as Transformers to facilitate bi-directional communication, enabling robots to both read from and write to various machines on the production floor.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025
PageRank is more complicated than eigenvector centrality in part because links on the Internet are one-directional, whereas friendships in a social network are bidirectional, a symmetry that simplifies the math.
—Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for directional
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PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
Belts are also making a strong comeback, defining waists over outerwear and dresses, while headwear has become unexpectedly directional again.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
The technology uses specialized connectors known as Transformers to facilitate bi-directional communication, enabling robots to both read from and write to various machines on the production floor.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025
PageRank is more complicated than eigenvector centrality in part because links on the Internet are one-directional, whereas friendships in a social network are bidirectional, a symmetry that simplifies the math.
—Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for directional
Cite this Entry
“Directional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/directional. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
directional
adjective
di·rec·tion·al
də-ˈrek-sh(ə-)nəl
dī-
1
: relating to or indicating direction
directional signal lights on an automobile
2
: relating to direction or guidance especially of thought or effort
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