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

The actor’s credits also include writing, directing, and starring in the teen crime drama films Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood from 2006 to 2016. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026

The Debut The Oscar-winning A Real Pain proved that writing and directing is not a passing fancy for Jesse Eisenberg. — A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026

The series also won honors for its production design, cinematography, editing, costuming, and directing. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2026

The Bad Bunny halftime show also won outstanding directing for a variety special. — Bryan West, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026

The project is being executive produced by Grammy-winning music and film producer Vassal Benford, with Hamid and Camille Torabpour and their Winter State Entertainment producing and Leslie Small directing. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 3 Sep. 2026

Only no Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg, and worse, no David Fincher directing. — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 2 Sep. 2026

Make your voice heard with your most daring predictions, from the best limited series and TV movie to acting, directing, and writing across genres. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 1 Sep. 2026

Kirsten Dunst, Brittany Snow and Paul Anthony Kelly are also on board, with Paul Feig directing. — Justin Kroll, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026

Verb

The league could expand its existing community programs by partnering with food banks, funding mobile food pantries, providing meals to children during the offseason and directing team charitable dollars toward local food-security programs. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026

In addition to starring in the campaign (alongside the duck), Affleck is also directing the spots alongside Pierce. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026

After joking that the world had finally realized women were simply worse at directing than men, Gyllenhaal gave a serious answer. — Nate Jones, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026

After directing the stage production, which earned both an Obie Award and a Lucille Lortel Award for performance, and a Drama League Award nomination, Tony Award winner Danya Taymor is set to get behind the camera for her feature directorial debut. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026

The other woman found a Mint Hill police officer directing traffic in the 10300 block of Idlewild Road and reported the incident. — Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026

As more officers arrived, Kelly began directing the response, assigning priority to the most critically injured. — Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026

The pond leveler prevents flooding that would normally be caused by a beaver dam by directing the water to the other side of the structure rather than backing the stream up and onto banks. — Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 27 Aug. 2026

Seven nominations — five for writing, two for directing — and no win yet. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026