as in overseeing
Related Words
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of directing
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
25 June 2026
The show took home two statuettes in 2025 for outstanding talk series and outstanding directing for a variety series.
—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
24 June 2026
Ocean Vashti Jude — A writer and director focused on dramas about rowdy characters, people on the downside of advantage, and the misadventures of having to work at life, Ocean is expanding into television directing.
—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
23 June 2026
This includes writing, directing, and guest-acting awards.
—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
20 June 2026
Assistant directing is its own special discipline, a mix of strategy, tactics, safety, and creativity.
—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
19 June 2026
Burrows got his first experience directing during the production.
—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
19 June 2026
On Wednesday, researchers at UCLA released the second part of the 2026 Hollywood Diversity Report, which showed that the percentage of people of color directing, writing and leading films shrank in comparison to previous years.
—
Carlos De Loera,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
McFadden didn’t wait long — Obama center staffers were all around, directing, assisting, answering visitors’ questions.
—
Darcel Rockett,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
Naomi Lim,
The Washington Examiner,
27 June 2026
The core team includes Luke Osche, Orin Cornille, Bosco Atukwatse, Winfred Nsabimana, Johnson Muhereza, Yahaya Ssemakula, Daniel Snyders and Alex Braczkowski; with Braczkowski and Chadden Hunter co-directing the project.
—
Sarah Kingdom,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
His prolific directing career over the next four decades continued through 2010’s Siddhu.
—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
27 June 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
Officials have also used large aerial ladder pipes, directing thousands of gallons of water per minute onto the building to contain the blaze.
—
Iris Salem,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
In the directing category, both The Pitt and Pluribus went equally ham, submitting six episodes apiece.
—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
20 June 2026
At Yale, he was required to take directing classes and he got hooked.
—
Beth Harris,
Fortune,
20 June 2026
Shouldn’t, Mean To my hearing and reading, Peterson disagrees with directing or legislating equality of outcomes.
—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
Although The Beast in Me doesn’t entirely hold up as a series, the opening episode of this cat-and-mouse thriller offers some bravura directing and stellar performances.
—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
25 June 2026
The show took home two statuettes in 2025 for outstanding talk series and outstanding directing for a variety series.
—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
24 June 2026
Ocean Vashti Jude — A writer and director focused on dramas about rowdy characters, people on the downside of advantage, and the misadventures of having to work at life, Ocean is expanding into television directing.
—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
23 June 2026
This includes writing, directing, and guest-acting awards.
—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
20 June 2026
Assistant directing is its own special discipline, a mix of strategy, tactics, safety, and creativity.
—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
19 June 2026
Burrows got his first experience directing during the production.
—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
19 June 2026
On Wednesday, researchers at UCLA released the second part of the 2026 Hollywood Diversity Report, which showed that the percentage of people of color directing, writing and leading films shrank in comparison to previous years.
—
Carlos De Loera,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
McFadden didn’t wait long — Obama center staffers were all around, directing, assisting, answering visitors’ questions.
—
Darcel Rockett,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
Verb
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
The core team includes Luke Osche, Orin Cornille, Bosco Atukwatse, Winfred Nsabimana, Johnson Muhereza, Yahaya Ssemakula, Daniel Snyders and Alex Braczkowski; with Braczkowski and Chadden Hunter co-directing the project.
—
Sarah Kingdom,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
His prolific directing career over the next four decades continued through 2010’s Siddhu.
—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
27 June 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
Officials have also used large aerial ladder pipes, directing thousands of gallons of water per minute onto the building to contain the blaze.
—
Iris Salem,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
In the directing category, both The Pitt and Pluribus went equally ham, submitting six episodes apiece.
—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
20 June 2026
At Yale, he was required to take directing classes and he got hooked.
—
Beth Harris,
Fortune,
20 June 2026
Shouldn’t, Mean To my hearing and reading, Peterson disagrees with directing or legislating equality of outcomes.
—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directing
Adjective
-
Versant will become a minority, non-controlling investor in the company.
-
ByteDance keeps a non-controlling stake to comply with federal law.
Noun
-
The studs, ankle strap and gladiator shape are Mars-y and commanding, just like this Fire sign.
-
The market has long recognized the significance of Gormley’s work, with the sculptures in the exhibition commanding prices ranging from £250,000 to £975,000.
Verb
-
Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie looked like Serie A regulars, Folarin Balogun’s finishing was on song and Gio Reyna put to rest any doubts about his selection by channelling his inner Luka Modric.
-
On a recent afternoon in Southampton, Kate Berlant and John Early are channeling a heterosexual Hamptons couple.
Verb
-
Abdikerm Eidleh Investigators allege Eidleh personally collected $5 million in bribes and kickbacks after instructing restaurants and catering businesses to inflate receipts submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education for reimbursement.
-
The father of two teens of his own did just that, instructing Buchanan to call 911 and Slowey to take pictures.
Verb
-
Rather than guessing how a frame might look, shoppers can use digital tools to get a better sense of fit and appearance before ordering.
-
The place was largely filled with Japanese families and folks in their late 20s, all ordering bowls of spaghetti infused with interesting flavors like cod roe, shiso leaves and seaweed.
Verb
-
Army investigations have repeatedly pointed to the same factors contributing to fatal training incidents including sleep deprivation, inadequate training and inexperienced leaders supervising high-risk exercises.
-
The family's complaint accuses the church of negligence in operating the event and in supervising the volunteer who allegedly placed the recording device.
Verb
-
Ukraine has stepped up its long-range aerial attacks on Russian military industries and energy facilities, aiming to cut Moscow’s revenue for the war and make Russians feel the consequences of the invasion, now in its fifth year.
-
During the rally in sweltering heat, Vucic told his backers, many bused in from across the country, that students and anti-government protesters were aiming to destroy the country, and accused them of colluding with unnamed foreign powers, charges the protesters deny.
Verb
-
After guiding Algeria to a 2-1 comeback win against Jordan to stay alive in Group J, manager Vladimir Petković was looking forward to seeing a lot of green and white in the KC stands this time.
-
What was once considered alternative is becoming the norm, and individuality is increasingly replacing convention as the guiding principle of engagement ring design.
Cite this Entry
“Directing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directing. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
