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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

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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 Alonso’s system typically employed a back three, leaving the wing-backs large amounts to cover in both directions. James Pearce, New York Times, 14 May 2025 The global economy had been yanked in every direction, nonstop, for weeks. Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 13 May 2025 The canyon stretches for miles in either direction, with centuries-old villages dotting its edges. Natalie Stoclet, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025 Galway is senior vice president, creative direction at German sportswear brand Adidas. Cathrin Schaer, Footwear News, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for direction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for direction
Noun
  • If the user follows these instructions, the command downloads and runs the malicious file known as Atomic macOS Stealer (AMOS).
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 May 2025
  • If cell phone radio waves are interfering with headsets, pilots can usually still hear instructions from the control tower, but the audio could be less clear.
    Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2025
Noun
  • Which is already more than can be said for Rockies management right about now.
    Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 10 May 2025
  • Indeed, many do function as autonomous sets of creative teams, with little formal management to hinder their progress.
    Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • Inside a self care mindset, taking a pause to find your own inner compass is the key to navigating the future of work.
    Chris Westfall, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
  • And he’s got a really good compass of what needs to happen in the moment.
    Justin Curto, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • In a world of evolving design trends, modular furniture is more than just a fleeting moment.
    Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2025
  • Reversing these trends is difficult, especially since data is sparse on species declines, which is key to getting them legal protections.
    Katarina Zimmer, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2025
Noun
  • She had been scrubbed of her awareness of the past—as love must scrub us of our awareness of the past in order to resurrect itself.
    Lillian Fishman, New Yorker, 4 May 2025
  • Once that occurs, in relatively short order the vaunted AGI is figured out.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
Noun
  • Connelly is accused of a bevy of misdeeds in the letter, including instructing West on how to self-administer nitrous oxide without any medical supervision or safeguards.
    Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 1 May 2025
  • She was sentenced in 2018 to a maximum of 40 years of state mental health supervision.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • His replacement, Anthony Banda, failed to stem a turning tide.
    Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2025
  • But the tide is changing, and according to Sturdivant-Drew, the hue is right on trend with the natural aesthetics that have been popular recently.
    Jessica Fields, Essence, 8 May 2025
Noun
  • Doctors and other health care providers across the VA have been left scrambling and short-staffed amid an ever-shifting series of cuts, hiring freezes and other edicts from the White House.
    Eric Umansky, ProPublica, 6 May 2025
  • For most of her two-year Stanford career, Canady hadn’t been able to talk frankly with the softball staff because of an edict from Stanford administrators.
    Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 1 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Direction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direction. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

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