as in overseeing
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Dissimilar Words
as in commanding
Related Words
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
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of directing
Michael Schneider, Variety, 1 June 2026
Roberson notes that claims of ghost-directing is not a new phenomenon.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
Baylin also recently penned the Lance Armstrong spec that sold to Apple this past spring with Ed Berger directing and Austin Butler attached to star as the famed cyclist.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 28 May 2026
Stuart Meltzer, artistic director of Zoetic Stage and here guest directing at GableStage, keeps the action moving briskly while still allowing the play’s more powerful moments room to breathe.
—Mary Damiano, Miami Herald, 27 May 2026
Aster has repeatedly explored high-profile humiliation and anonymous crowds who mistake vengeance for catharsis in his own directing work, making the horror filmmaker’s involvement particularly on-theme.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 May 2026
Shea grew up in Los Angeles and trained at the Los Angeles Theatre Academy, a three-year conservatory for acting and directing.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026
Rather than replacing directing, generative systems force creators to externalize intuition with unprecedented precision.
—C.m. Rubin, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
At the nose is a pronounced S-duct directing so much airflow that the wipers had to be vertically configured at the flanks of the windshield.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 25 May 2026
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
According to Keisuke Morishima, the study highlights the need for bio-hybrid systems that can adapt to the changing conditions of living organisms rather than simply directing their behavior through external commands.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 May 2026
Propeller One-Way Night Coach (Apple TV) John Travolta marks his directing debut with this film about a young airplane enthusiast.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 May 2026
Their pricey stock values give them more influence in directing the market higher or lower.
—Damian J. Troise, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Additionally, Off Campus recently cast Phillipa Soo to recur in Season 2 as a theatre artist who is guest directing an original play at the college’s drama department where Allie is a student.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 28 May 2026
That outcome appears unlikely as Newsom sent a letter to cabinet secretaries earlier this month, directing them to prepare for state employees to be in offices four days a week.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2026
The council voted to continue the item to a June meeting, directing staff to return with conditions addressing those concerns baked into any loan agreement.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026
This technique expedites growth, produces larger fruit, and leads to earlier harvests by directing the plant's energy to the main vine and developing cucumbers rather than unnecessary foliage.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 23 May 2026
Noun
Beyond lead acting contenders Rhea Seehorn, Carlos-Manuel Vesga and Karolina Wydra, the series will need a lift from the guest acting, directing, writing and artisan branches to get there.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 1 June 2026
Roberson notes that claims of ghost-directing is not a new phenomenon.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 1 June 2026
Baylin also recently penned the Lance Armstrong spec that sold to Apple this past spring with Ed Berger directing and Austin Butler attached to star as the famed cyclist.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 28 May 2026
Stuart Meltzer, artistic director of Zoetic Stage and here guest directing at GableStage, keeps the action moving briskly while still allowing the play’s more powerful moments room to breathe.
—Mary Damiano, Miami Herald, 27 May 2026
Aster has repeatedly explored high-profile humiliation and anonymous crowds who mistake vengeance for catharsis in his own directing work, making the horror filmmaker’s involvement particularly on-theme.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 May 2026
Shea grew up in Los Angeles and trained at the Los Angeles Theatre Academy, a three-year conservatory for acting and directing.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026
Rather than replacing directing, generative systems force creators to externalize intuition with unprecedented precision.
—C.m. Rubin, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
At the nose is a pronounced S-duct directing so much airflow that the wipers had to be vertically configured at the flanks of the windshield.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 25 May 2026
Verb
An entire mission directing six blasts against three Russian frontline targets in eastern Ukraine will involve no Ukrainian troops on the ground, the battle instead directed from gamer chairs, observed from reconnaissance drones above, run over dedicated livestreams.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
According to Keisuke Morishima, the study highlights the need for bio-hybrid systems that can adapt to the changing conditions of living organisms rather than simply directing their behavior through external commands.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 May 2026
Propeller One-Way Night Coach (Apple TV) John Travolta marks his directing debut with this film about a young airplane enthusiast.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 May 2026
Their pricey stock values give them more influence in directing the market higher or lower.
—Damian J. Troise, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Additionally, Off Campus recently cast Phillipa Soo to recur in Season 2 as a theatre artist who is guest directing an original play at the college’s drama department where Allie is a student.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 28 May 2026
That outcome appears unlikely as Newsom sent a letter to cabinet secretaries earlier this month, directing them to prepare for state employees to be in offices four days a week.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2026
The council voted to continue the item to a June meeting, directing staff to return with conditions addressing those concerns baked into any loan agreement.
—Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026
This technique expedites growth, produces larger fruit, and leads to earlier harvests by directing the plant's energy to the main vine and developing cucumbers rather than unnecessary foliage.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 23 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directing
Noun
-
Mitchell torched the Pistons’ hopes for a commanding series lead while tying a postseason record with 39 second-half points.—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
Cole, a contractor who specializes in building restaurants, is the Lexington Minute Men's captain commanding.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
The French plan follows SoftBank’s announcement in March to launch a large-scale data center project in Ohio, potentially channeling $500 billion to install 10 gigawatts of capacity.—
Benoit Berthelot,
Fortune,
30 May 2026
-
But the proud born-again evangelical is channeling the zeal of an old-fashioned tent revival, even if some of his rhetoric falls far outside the bounds of the Good Book.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
Both Blue Origin and Space Force officials are instructing the public to report any debris that may wash up on nearby shores.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
29 May 2026
-
Teachers took on a hybrid role, instructing in their classrooms while also accommodating the online learners.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Worth ordering something to eat, too?—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
The survey also found majority support in all parties for government interventions including testing additives for safety before they can be included in food products, banning artificial dyes, requiring warning labels, and ordering companies to reduce the amount of sugar and salt in their foods.—
Sarah Todd,
STAT,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Instead of acting as intermediaries, humans focus on defining policies, supervising system behavior and handling exceptions.—
Krupesh Bhat,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
The defendant, 36, who has not been publicly identified, is accused of assaulting children while supervising them in bathrooms, during lunch breaks and in after-school care between August 2024 and April 2025.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Then, instead of purely aiming for prospect capital, the club could use some of these players to acquire a big league hitter or two who can actually improve the lineup.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
-
The plan removes hundreds of millions of emissions allowances but creates a new incentive pool and more free permits for industry, aiming to keep refineries and manufacturing from leaving the state.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
The Sagittarius moon may be guiding you to a more sustainable rhythm.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
-
These days, Nepali operators dominate the guiding industry on Everest.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
Versant will become a minority, non-controlling investor in the company.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
2 June 2026
-
ByteDance keeps a non-controlling stake to comply with federal law.—
Jon Markman,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Directing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directing. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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