1
as in channeled
to cause to move to a central point or along a restricted pathway
the aqueduct directs the water into an artificial lake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in instructed
to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority
our tour guide directed us to wait in front of the building until she could rejoin us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ordered
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority
the caretaker directed that all of the windows be closed before we left
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in supervised
to look after and make decisions about
the music teacher directs both the student orchestra and the marching band
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in aimed
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal
we quickly directed our attention toward the noise coming from the rear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in steered
to point out the way for (someone) especially from a position in front
the guide directed the tour through the museum with commendable efficiency and expertise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of directed
Metaphors, absurdities and seriousness intermingle in this production from New Forms LA and directed by Marissa Pattullo.
—
Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
As if the stakes weren’t high enough, Ford, diagnosed with leukemia in 2024, fell ill and directed sessions through his laptop post-blood transfusion.
—Hannah Jocelyn, Pitchfork, 18 Mar. 2026
India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has directed oil refineries to prioritize supplying cooking gas to its 330 million households, risking operations of over 3 million businesses that use its for commercial purposes.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026
The book was adapted for the screen in 1979 as directed by Larry Peerce, and other stars have tried to bring it to the screen, with Julia Stiles, Rose McGowan, Kirsten Dunst, and Dakota Fanning all at one point involved in various iterations that never took off.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for directed
Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
As if the stakes weren’t high enough, Ford, diagnosed with leukemia in 2024, fell ill and directed sessions through his laptop post-blood transfusion.
—Hannah Jocelyn, Pitchfork, 18 Mar. 2026
India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has directed oil refineries to prioritize supplying cooking gas to its 330 million households, risking operations of over 3 million businesses that use its for commercial purposes.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026
The book was adapted for the screen in 1979 as directed by Larry Peerce, and other stars have tried to bring it to the screen, with Julia Stiles, Rose McGowan, Kirsten Dunst, and Dakota Fanning all at one point involved in various iterations that never took off.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for directed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directed
Verb
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Gerber also channeled her mom in the beauty department.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
16 Mar. 2026
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That backing, channeled through the ostensibly independent Illinois Future PAC, helped Stratton remain competitive in a race where Krishnamoorthi’s campaign spent more than $25 million on TV ads beginning in July.—
Dan Petrella,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Martinez alleged in the lawsuit that one city official instructed him to withhold information from the FAA about the developer receiving the property and instead inform the FAA only that the city and airport were swapping the land.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
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When her handler Beth Traynham instructed her to search, Chelly moved quickly and confidently toward a camouflage tarp in the center of the field.—
Liz Teitz,
San Antonio Express-News,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Justin Ward, 34, of Lombard, was ordered held pending trial at a Saturday hearing.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
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The judge ordered her to have a C-section, and doctors wheeled her into surgery.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The film now joins the Criterion Collection in a new digital restoration supervised by Littman.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Mar. 2026
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Minnesota’s healthcare system is supervised by the state but delivered at the local level by the state’s 87 counties.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Torque-vectoring control and performance braking package The four-wheel-drive version of the Ti3 adds a series of premium features aimed at improving performance, comfort, and the overall driving experience.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
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Former President Jay Hartzell established the university’s first housing endowment in late 2024 to fund scholarships aimed at making a UT education more affordable and creating more housing complexes for students.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Walden previously steered Disney’s TV efforts (with the exception of ESPN) in her role as Disney Entertainment co-chair.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
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Incumbent Socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo, elected in 2014 and reelected in 2020, decided against seeking a third term, having steered the French capital through the trauma of extremist attacks in 2015 and the exuberance of the Paris Olympics in 2024.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The operations his team conducted spurred lawsuits and allegations of racial profiling.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
Twin Cities,
17 Mar. 2026
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According to Ukraine’s state news agency United24, the country conducted thousands of robotic operations in January alone, most focused on logistics such as delivering ammunition, weapons, and supplies to frontline troops, reports Futurism.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Over his generous pours of cheap beer and dive-bar cocktails, aging All-Americans and national champions told stories about their old coach, mixing in laughs with the occasional Holtz imitation.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
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There have been no updates in the investigation, Dalton Samek told the Star-Telegram on Sunday, March 15.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Directed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directed. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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