1
as in channeling
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 instructing
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 ordering
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 supervising
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 aiming
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 guiding
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
as in overseeing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in commanding
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of directing
Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
Pic stars Ruth Madeley, Mark Ruffalo and Dylan O’Brien and will be released in 2026, with Coda‘s Siân Heder directing.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2025
Would you be involved in writing them or moreso directing?
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2025
The new installment is currently in production, with Kurt Wimmer returning to write the screenplay and Timo Tjahjanto directing.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Busfield also took an interest behind the camera during Thirtysomething and has moved steadily into television directing in the years since, overseeing episodes of This Is Us, Nashville, Rosewood, and more.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
Along with directing, Binoche also produced the film alongside Sébastien de Fonseca at Miao Productions, in co-production with Ola Strøm at Yggdrasil and Solène Léger at Léger Production.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025
Maika Monroe, who hit mainstream success with last year’s horror hit Longlegs, stars in the film, with Vanessa Caswill (Love at First Sight) directing.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Zimmer said most of her previous acting and directing was with Patio Playhouse in Escondido and as part of the Off the Cuff improv group.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
Rebecca Schneid, Time, 4 Oct. 2025
Kapenga had been hitting the gavel and directing Carpenter to make his questions relevant to the bill.
—Jessie Opoien, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
El Centro Border Patrol Sector Chief Gregory Bovino accompanied Noem on the roof, according to WLS, and was later seen on the ground directing protesters and media away from the area.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Howard’s hit true-life adaptations including Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind, which won Best Picture and landed Howard his first Oscar for directing.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2025
Adam Driver and Anne Hathaway are set to star in Alone at Dawn, a war drama that Ron Howard is directing for Amazon MGM.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025
Mayor Dan Slater initially suggested directing staff to do that analysis while also installing rumble strips on the 200 blocks of West and East Chapman Avenue leading to the traffic circle and reflective pavement markers along the curbs, an idea suggested by Councilmember Denis Bilodeau.
—Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025
Her husband is directing a screaming grade-school-aged girl who is about to have a prosthetic finger bitten off.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
Sorkin, who won an Oscar for his Social Network script, is writing and directing The Social Reckoning.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Instead, and not for the first time, the auteur’s screenwriting has failed to live up to his location scouting and directing.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
Pic stars Ruth Madeley, Mark Ruffalo and Dylan O’Brien and will be released in 2026, with Coda‘s Siân Heder directing.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2025
Would you be involved in writing them or moreso directing?
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2025
The new installment is currently in production, with Kurt Wimmer returning to write the screenplay and Timo Tjahjanto directing.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Busfield also took an interest behind the camera during Thirtysomething and has moved steadily into television directing in the years since, overseeing episodes of This Is Us, Nashville, Rosewood, and more.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
Along with directing, Binoche also produced the film alongside Sébastien de Fonseca at Miao Productions, in co-production with Ola Strøm at Yggdrasil and Solène Léger at Léger Production.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025
Maika Monroe, who hit mainstream success with last year’s horror hit Longlegs, stars in the film, with Vanessa Caswill (Love at First Sight) directing.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Zimmer said most of her previous acting and directing was with Patio Playhouse in Escondido and as part of the Off the Cuff improv group.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
The city’s mayor, Brandon Johnson, signed an order directing Chicago law enforcement and officials not to cooperate with federal agents and established an initiative intended to protect residents’ rights.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 4 Oct. 2025
Kapenga had been hitting the gavel and directing Carpenter to make his questions relevant to the bill.
—Jessie Opoien, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
El Centro Border Patrol Sector Chief Gregory Bovino accompanied Noem on the roof, according to WLS, and was later seen on the ground directing protesters and media away from the area.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Howard’s hit true-life adaptations including Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind, which won Best Picture and landed Howard his first Oscar for directing.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2025
Adam Driver and Anne Hathaway are set to star in Alone at Dawn, a war drama that Ron Howard is directing for Amazon MGM.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025
Mayor Dan Slater initially suggested directing staff to do that analysis while also installing rumble strips on the 200 blocks of West and East Chapman Avenue leading to the traffic circle and reflective pavement markers along the curbs, an idea suggested by Councilmember Denis Bilodeau.
—Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025
Her husband is directing a screaming grade-school-aged girl who is about to have a prosthetic finger bitten off.
—J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025
Sorkin, who won an Oscar for his Social Network script, is writing and directing The Social Reckoning.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directing
Verb
-
But channeling your grandma and hanging your clothes on a drying rack or clothes line will pay off over months and years.—
Karla Walsh,
Southern Living,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Orange is Ward's pick for channeling the retro aesthetic in your kitchen.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In the meantime, the group encouraged voluntary compliance by instructing financial managers to pause all trades.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Jean’s mama reproached her for not having been more careful and babied Wole, ordering him to remove his T-shirt and retrieving an aloe lotion, telling him to stretch out on the couch and instructing Jean to spread it over the tender areas.—
David Wright Faladé,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Eliza Varadi, a pediatrician in South Carolina, told me that the murkiness around insurance coverage, coupled with lower demand, has prompted her practice to start ordering COVID vaccines just one box at a time—each a batch of 10 doses—to minimize the potential for loss.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The judge denied the motion, ordering the hip-hop mogul to remain in jail until sentencing.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Some genres may be extremely violent and gory, so parents may want to consider supervising their children's viewing of films or avoid them altogether.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Advertisement Concerns about damage to parks Former park officials and advocates have expressed fear that protected land will be damaged by visitors if sites are left partially open while thousands of workers are furloughed or fired, and therefore absent from supervising lands.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.—
Steven Martinez,
jsonline.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
While this represents a decrease from previous estimates, the country continues to explore and develop its resources, aiming to enhance its position in the global market.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
An army of around 200 volunteers from the church and several charities were making food, picking up trash, guiding guests and MC'ing dance showcases, said Mary Cantrell, who has been a key organizer since 1993.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Most of the footage was filmed by astronauts, with Wang’s perspective guiding the story.—
Marcelo Cajueiro,
Variety,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Kele takes a fast and commanding lead, getting to the puzzle before either of the other tribes can make it through their rope gate and up the wall.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
1 Oct. 2025
-
This intermediary would then obtain financial and operational information about the business and pass it on to potential bidders, with the goal of starting an auction and commanding as high a price as possible.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Friend’s terms require waiving the right to jury trials, class actions, and court proceedings, funneling disputes into arbitration in San Francisco.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
-
An unseasonably strong low-pressure system that lingered off the Southern California coast all week was sliding inland, funneling moisture and atmospheric instability across Arizona.—
Hayleigh Evans,
AZCentral.com,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Directing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directing. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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