Synonyms of directing

directing 1 of 3

adjective

as in overseeing

Related Words

• overseeing
• controlling
• supervisory
• managing
• senior
• high-level
• main
• ruling
• reigning
• major
• leading
• officiating
• predominant
• lead
• commanding
• paramount
• first
• regnant
• presiding
• sovereign
• principal
• head
• chief
• prime
• primary
• predominate
• supreme
• foremost
• dominant
• premier
• top
• upper
• superior
• uppermost
• topmost
• high
• preeminent
• supereminent
• ascendant
• grand
• upmost

Dissimilar Words

• second
• less
• last
• lower
• secondary
• subordinate
• lesser
• ancillary
• subsidiary
• inferior
• assisting
• lowly
• assistant
• junior
• under
• deputy
• coadjutor

directing

2 of 3

noun

as in commanding

Related Words

• commanding
• ordering
• promotion
• facilitation
• fostering
• mandate
• empowerment
• delegation
• commendation
• consignment
• authorization
• entrustment
• accreditation
• commission
• license

directing

3 of 3

verb

present participle of direct

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

• channeling
• funneling
• conducting
• carrying
• channelizing
• focusing
• piping
• siphoning
• transmitting
• canalizing
• conveying
• concentrating
• consolidating

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

• instructing
• ordering
• telling
• commanding
• asking
• enjoining
• advising
• begging
• bidding
• charging
• requesting
• petitioning
• warning
• adjuring
• appointing
• requiring
• authorizing
• bossing (around)
• supervising
• managing
• forcing
• controlling
• assigning
• overseeing
• leading
• entreating
• commissioning
• conducting
• compelling
• beseeching
• superintending
• coercing
• counseling
• constraining
• obliging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• obeying
• following
• keeping
• observing
• minding
• complying (with)

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

• ordering
• requesting
• asking
• mandating
• requiring
• dictating
• commanding
• calling
• demanding
• calling for
• decreeing
• ordaining
• petitioning

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• canceling
• rescinding
• countermanding

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

• supervising
• overseeing
• managing
• controlling
• operating
• regulating
• conducting
• handling
• running
• governing
• guiding
• administering
• keeping
• tending
• superintending
• protecting
• administrating
• presiding (over)
• carrying on
• leading
• stewarding
• watching
• overlooking
• watching over
• steering
• safeguarding
• guarding
• piloting
• minding
• caring (for)
• stage-managing
• micromanaging
• codirecting
• comanaging

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

• aiming
• casting
• heading
• holding
• setting
• bending
• training
• focusing
• pinpointing
• steering
• leveling
• concentrating
• facing
• orienting
• sighting
• bearing
• inclining

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• diverting
• deflecting
• curving
• shunting
• averting
• detouring
• sidetracking
• rechanneling

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

• guiding
• steering
• leading
• conducting
• accompanying
• showing
• routing
• ushering
• escorting
• preceding
• marshaling
• piloting
• managing
• controlling
• attending
• seeing
• chaperoning
• convoying

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• following
• trailing
• tailing
• shadowing
• hounding
• dogging
• tailgating

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of directing

Noun

Weiss also earned a nod for outstanding directing for a variety special. — Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 8 July 2026

Wyle, who won for best actor last year, was nominated again for best actor (along with noms for his directing and producing the show). — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 8 July 2026

The deal included rights to Spears’ music, with Chu directing and Platt producing. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 7 July 2026

No directing, no cinematography, nothing for some of the most propulsive and densely written episodes of television produced in years. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 8 July 2026

The roster of shows drawing nominations for reality directing was close to the list of top series nominees in the category. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 9 July 2026

But smart casting, witty writing, lively directing, and artful character development have also yielded the rare superhero riff that, as Kovak puts it, finds the human underneath. — Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026

The show also scored nominations for production design, casting, directing, cinematography, picture editing, music composition, music supervision, sound editing, sound mixing and writing. — Peter White, Deadline, 8 July 2026

Happy Emmy nominations day to Jason Bateman, who received a special Emmy nomination merely for waking up, in addition to his two acting, one directing and one producing nominations. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026

Verb

The surfaces are clean and sharp, directing airflow around and through the car. — Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

There – with three weeks left for Landor to serve – the warden ignored the judicial order, directing guards to shackle Landor and forcibly shave his head. — Charles J. Russo, The Conversation, 26 June 2026

Driving into the estate down a dirt track, you’re met with concrete walls that frame the space with gallery-like precision, directing your eyes toward geological features rather than distracting from them. — Lara Johnson-Wheeler, Vogue, 3 July 2026

On Wednesday, Mayor Mary Sheffield issued an executive order directing all departments and city employees to focus on protecting the public. — Julia Avant, CBS News, 2 July 2026

On Friday, Putin visited the Russian military headquarters directing the action in Ukraine to receive a report on the capture of the city of Kostyantynivka after weeks of intense street battles. — ABC News, 3 July 2026

After reading the novel, Jenkins enlisted Crain — an associate producer on Wonder Woman 1984 and head of film at Wicious — to make his feature directing debut on the project. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 2 July 2026

She is joined by Indonesian director Yosep Anggi Noen as directing mentor and cinematographer Park Junghun as cinematography mentor. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 July 2026

In one significant policy shift, Lewis George campaigned on repealing former Metropolitan Police Department chief Pamela Smith’s executive order directing her officers to cooperate with federal immigration authorities for individuals not in police custody. — Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 27 June 2026