direction

noun

di·rec·tion | \ də-ˈrek-shən

, dī-\

Definition of direction

1 : guidance or supervision of action or conduct : management working under the direction of the doctor

2 archaic : the address placed on the outside of a letter or package to be delivered : superscription

3a : an explicit instruction : order carefully read the directions follow directions

b : assistance in pointing out the proper route —usually used in plural asked for directions to the beach

4 : the line or course on which something is moving or is aimed to move or along which something is pointing or facing came from the opposite direction walking in the same direction

5 archaic : directorate sense 1

6a : a channel or direct course of thought or action deciding which direction to take as a writer

b : tendency, trend

c : a guiding, governing, or motivating purpose His life lacked direction.

7a : the art and technique of supervising the production of a show or performance : the art and technique of directing an orchestra, band, or a show (as for stage or screen)

b music : a word, phrase, or sign indicating the appropriate tempo, mood, or intensity of a passage (see passage entry 1 sense 6b) or movement (see movement sense 4c)

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Examples of direction in a Sentence

The army attacked from three different directions. Down the road, he could see a bus coming from the opposite direction. The wind changed direction and started blowing in our faces. Carefully read the directions before you begin the test. Directions appear on the package. We had to stop to ask for directions to the beach. Excuse me. Could you please give me directions to the movie theater? He was put in charge and given overall direction of the program. Twenty-three employees work under her direction. Several nurses working under the direction of this doctor have made complaints.

Recent Examples on the Web

Even when roaming the grounds, artists took festival garb in surprising new directions. — Vogue, "From Virgil Abloh to Jaden Smith, Here’s the Best Alternative Style at Coachella So Far," 15 Apr. 2019 In 2018, the state Department of Justice did say that CBD is legal only in certain circumstances and with a doctor’s approval, but the state is headed in a new direction in 2019. — Meredith Clark, Marie Claire, "Is CBD Even Legal Where You Live?," 12 Apr. 2019 Since the release of her debut EP dont smile at me — and arguably even before that — there’s no denying that Billie is here to disrupt the music industry (while racking up millions of listens), and this is just another step in the right direction. — Sara Delgado, Teen Vogue, "Billie Eilish Doesn't Want to Be Compared to Ariana Grande and Lana Del Rey," 11 Apr. 2019 This whole ordeal pushed me in new directions and helped me see some of the roadblocks underrepresented critics are having. — Valerie Complex, Harper's BAZAAR, "Brie Larson Wants Captain Marvel to Change the Film Industry," 25 Mar. 2019 Anybody who doubted whether Mark Zuckerberg was serious about Facebook’s new direction should think again. — Laura Forman, WSJ, "Facebook’s Family Matters," 14 Mar. 2019 Castiglioni presented her first collection for the new label in September, two years after a disagreement with Marni’s corporate owners led the family to flee their brand (Marni now cruises along under new direction). — Erik Maza, Town & Country, "Plan C, the New Label From the Family Behind Marni, Is the Coolest Thing to Come out of Milan," 27 Feb. 2019 But the sheriff’s office later received a tip from civil rights activist Shaun King that sent the case in a new direction. — Juan A. Lozano, The Seattle Times, "Man authorities believe shot Texas girl charged with murder," 9 Jan. 2019 And for Paramount and its Transformers universe ambitions, Bumblebee is a best-case scenario, demonstrating that the franchise can shift gears and expand in new directions, and broaden its demographic appeal at the same time. — Bryan Bishop, The Verge, "Bumblebee proves Transformers movies can actually be resonant and emotional," 20 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'direction.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.