conduct 1 of 2

verb

kən-ˈdəkt How to pronounce conduct (audio)
Definition of conductnext
1
as in to supervise
to look after and make decisions about the company's president continues to conduct the everyday affairs of the software firm he founded many years ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to direct
to cause to move to a central point or along a restricted pathway the gutter conducts water to the curb, thus protecting the house's basement

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to behave
to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way conducted themselves at the party like perfect ladies and gentlemen

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to steer
to point out the way for (someone) especially from a position in front a job conducting tourists through the historical museum

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to transmit
to cause (something) to pass from one to another a material that conducts heat quite efficiently

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

conduct

2 of 2

noun

ˈkän-(ˌ)dəkt How to pronounce conduct (audio)
1
as in management
the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something the President was happy to leave the conduct of foreign affairs to his secretary of state

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in behavior
the way or manner in which one conducts oneself a child who has often been scolded for poor conduct

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word conduct distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of conduct are control, direct, and manage. While all these words mean "to use one's powers to lead, guide, or dominate," conduct implies taking responsibility for the acts and achievements of a group.

conducted negotiations

In what contexts can control take the place of conduct?

The meanings of control and conduct largely overlap; however, control implies a regulating or restraining in order to keep within bounds or on a course.

controlling his appetite

When might direct be a better fit than conduct?

While in some cases nearly identical to conduct, direct implies constant guiding and regulating so as to achieve smooth operation.

directs the store's day-to-day business

When can manage be used instead of conduct?

The words manage and conduct can be used in similar contexts, but manage implies direct handling and manipulating or maneuvering toward a desired result.

manages a meat market

How is the word conduct distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of conduct are control, direct, and manage. While all these words mean "to use one's powers to lead, guide, or dominate," conduct implies taking responsibility for the acts and achievements of a group.

conducted negotiations

In what contexts can control take the place of conduct?

The meanings of control and conduct largely overlap; however, control implies a regulating or restraining in order to keep within bounds or on a course.

controlling his appetite

When might direct be a better fit than conduct?

While in some cases nearly identical to conduct, direct implies constant guiding and regulating so as to achieve smooth operation.

directs the store's day-to-day business

When can manage be used instead of conduct?

The words manage and conduct can be used in similar contexts, but manage implies direct handling and manipulating or maneuvering toward a desired result.

manages a meat market

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 conduct
Verb
Fine print The poll of 786 likely Florida midterm election voters was conducted by the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab. —Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026 The Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration agreed to conduct anti-drone laser tests in New Mexico after the military’s deployment of the lasers led the FAA to suddenly close airspace in Texas twice in the last month. —Jaimie Ding, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Noun
The university said in a statement on Thursday that the conduct of the students was being investigated by the campus police in coordination with local, state, and federal law enforcement. —CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026 None of this is to excuse Tina Peters’ conduct. —Doug Friednash, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conduct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conduct
  1. supervise
  2. direct
  3. behave
  4. steer
  5. transmit
  6. management
  7. behavior
  8. oversee
Verb
  • For families, spatulas show up at nearly every meal — Saturday morning pancakes, after-school quesadillas, and yes, scraping every last bit of cake batter from the bowl (an activity most kids will happily supervise).
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2026
  • However, a hospital staff member reported that, in February, 2025, Adams asked the staff member to falsify about 25 documents claiming to have supervised medical procedures dating back months.
    — Beth Warren, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Mar. 2026
Definition of supervise
Verb
  • Winners Alliance did not control GST’s board, did not direct GST’s operational decisions, and did not instruct GST on whether, when, or how to stage events.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The governor directed his team to match the brash communication tactics emanating from the White House.
    — Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Definition of direct
Verb
  • The motion of stars near the celestial poles differs from how Orion and other constellations behave.
    — Vahe Peroomian, The Conversation, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Amorphous yet crystal strong The result was a configuration that remained completely disordered but behaved mechanically like a crystal.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Mar. 2026
Definition of behave
Verb
  • But China has consistently steered clear of direct involvement in its partners’ conflicts, showing little appetite for wading into Middle Eastern security matters beyond protecting its own assets.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 4 Mar. 2026
  • The analyst added that while some investors have steered away from Toll Brothers in favor of plays on the lack of affordable home supply, the luxury market has consistently proven itself as resilient among the current macroeconomic backdrop.
    — Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2026
Definition of steer
Verb
  • Johnson was convicted last month of two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation of a child and one count of electronically transmitting material harmful to a minor, according to prosecutors in Hernando County, Florida.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Investigators are still trying to identify and stop a rogue user from transmitting antisemitic and hateful messages over police, fire and emergency radios.
    — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Definition of transmit
Noun
  • Residents may require medication management and may have previously posed a potential risk to harm themselves or others, but any aggressive behavior must have occurred no less than six months prior to being admitted.
    — Gabriela Vidal, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Through its program on border management, anti-corruption and criminal justice, the office has been supporting Haitian institutions to address the broader issues that continue to fuel instability and violence in the country.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2026
Definition of management
Noun
  • These AIs have shown behaviors as varied as deception and blackmail, to scheming and cheating by hacking software.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Early prototypes validated ground operations and taxi behavior, while later versions introduced flight testing and expanded operational capabilities.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 5 Mar. 2026
Definition of behavior
Verb
  • Conflicting Iranian statements came from two of the three members of the leadership council overseeing Iran since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the war's opening airstrikes.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Board chair Ward recused himself in February from the candidate selection due to a potential conflict of interest — candidate Lesley Lavery is the co-chair of the dissertation committee overseeing Ward’s doctoral dissertation at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Ga.
    — Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
Definition of oversee

Browse Nearby Words

conducive
conduct
conducted
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Cite this Entry

“Conduct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conduct. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on conduct

Nglish: Translation of conduct for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about conduct

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