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
The live-action remake, which was directed by Thomas Kail, was announced in April 2023.
—
Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
While waiting for instructions, Parkins says not to give the bird any food or water unless specifically directed by a rehabilitator.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 10 June 2026
Now, the volume has gone way up, and a lot of it's been directed at me and Coach McGuire, and our university.
—Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
Former Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes directed Conaway’s supervisor to investigate the claims, which ultimately showed the allegations of targeting were false.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for directed
Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
While waiting for instructions, Parkins says not to give the bird any food or water unless specifically directed by a rehabilitator.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 10 June 2026
Now, the volume has gone way up, and a lot of it's been directed at me and Coach McGuire, and our university.
—Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
Former Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes directed Conaway’s supervisor to investigate the claims, which ultimately showed the allegations of targeting were false.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for directed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directed
Verb
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In the years since, Alvear has channeled her grief into preserving the legacies of the victims.—
Janelle Griffith,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
-
The Sons of Liberty channeled these energies in the fight for independence from England, but the energies hardly dissipated with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Most declined to speak, with some saying they’d been instructed to stay quieter than usual during the unusually hectic shift.—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
11 June 2026
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The study enrolled 90 overweight and obese adults from the Netherlands for an eight-week, low-energy diet in which they were instructed to lose 8% of their body weight, according to a press release.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
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In addition to the prison sentence, Høiby was ordered to pay compensation to the victims.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
-
In addition to the prison sentence, Hoiby was ordered to pay compensation to the victims.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
Verb
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To reduce the risk of an encounter with bears, the Mammoth Lakes Police Department and wildlife authorities advised the public to never approach bears, keep garbage securely stored, do not leave food outside, and keep dogs leashed and supervised.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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Internal controls lacking Fort Lauderdale’s program is primarily administered by a P-card program administrator, who is supervised by the finance director.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
10 June 2026
Verb
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World’s first 16-ton drone mothership People’s Daily reported that the Jetank platform is designed to strengthen China’s low-altitude economy, a government initiative aimed at expanding civilian air services and accelerating innovation along the aviation industrial chain.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Dec. 2025
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The Post has been aggressive in 2025 in debuting several new products aimed at improving the company’s tech offerings and reaching new audiences, including Ask The Post AI, an in-app Watch tab, and Ripple, the paper’s news aggregator.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Most of the storms will be steered inland towards the Florida Everglades and west coast due to the east breeze.—
Lissette Gonzalez,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
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The researchers also found that this Higgs mode steered the crystal toward a phase that cannot be achieved by heating it.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
10 June 2026
Verb
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In a hypothetical matchup, Ossoff led Collins by 7 percentage points in a poll conducted in early April by Echelon Insights.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
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At a Monday news conference, NTSB Vice Chairman Michael Graham spoke about the report and a separate report on revenue passenger-carrying operations, including skydiving, conducted in 2021.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
Verb
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The Las Vegas airport confirmed the pilot called an alert, but a British Airways spokesperson told CBS News the aircraft arrived as scheduled and did not declare an emergency.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
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Chris Hall told The Star at the time that Skydive Kansas City had experienced steady growth since opening its doors.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Directed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directed. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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