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
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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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Sarkis adds that, for those who feel passionate about ending domestic violence, their energy might be better channeled toward activism or fundraising than into watching disturbing footage of it.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
20 Mar. 2026
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While out in New York City on Monday night, for example, Gellar channeled the ’90s in a quintessential shoe style with a fresh twist.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
19 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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The military had also been ordered to demolish buildings in some towns close to the border with Israel, Katz added.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
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Air traffic control had granted the truck permission to cross the runway to a United flight that had reported an odor making flight attendants ill, then seconds later urgently ordered the truck to stop, according to audio from the tower.—
Peter Weber,
TheWeek,
23 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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These design choices are aimed at producing a sound level closer to a car door closing than a thunder-like boom.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Mar. 2026
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Its extensive menu ranges from advanced biohacking and LED therapy to DNA testing aimed at identifying hormonal imbalances, inflammation, and nutritional needs, as well as bespoke sleep programming.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 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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There were 249 inspections conducted between March 8 and March 21, according to the data compiled by the Star-Telegram.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Mar. 2026
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Paul, the sole Republican to oppose Mullin's confirmation, chairs the committee that conducted his confirmation hearing.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Detectives said two girls accepted the ride and told the suspect their destination.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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An economic opening would be a roundabout way of getting to the end goal, one close Rubio friend told USA TODAY.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Directed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directed. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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