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

At one point, Steven Spielberg was slated to produce the film, with Martin Scorsese directing. — Andrew Buss, Vanity Fair, 29 Oct. 2026

The pair have spent the better part of three years preparing the first dramatic feature about Huerta’s life, which Variety first reported in April 2024, with Nava writing and directing and Martinez Jitner co-writing and producing with him. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 28 Oct. 2026

Next year’s Super Bowl halftime show will air on ESPN, ABC and Disney+, with Roc Nation once again executive producing the show and Hamish Hamilton directing. — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 27 Oct. 2026

Roc Nation will executive produce the halftime show, with Hamish Hamilton directing. — Jonathan Landrum Jr, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026

Earlier this month, Soderbergh agreed to take the on-set directing reins for the DC Studios production in London after Matt Reeves had to step aside due to a personal family matter back in Los Angeles. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 26 Oct. 2026

Can Villeneuve, after four nominations for directing, writing, and producing, get the best-director Oscar that has always eluded him? — Radhika Seth, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026

Last year, the project went to market with DoP Rain Li directing, but that has now changed. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026

Still, there’s something compelling about Romero’s directing and his, for the time, boldly progressive take on feminism. — Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 11 Oct. 2026

Verb

The development is an early step toward aircraft that could operate without pilots onboard or continuously directing their movements from the ground. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026

Karson, who started out as an actor, graduated from Cal State Northridge and began his directing career on commercials and documentaries in Australia. — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2026

Mann doubles as a filmmaker, directing movies including Fall, the 2022 thriller about two friends who get stuck up a 2,000-foot radio tower in the desert. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026

There’s something really super clean about directing a director, particularly someone that intelligent. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026

After directing her toward Valmiki’s hermitage, Lakshmana departs, lamenting the painful duty imposed upon him. — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026

By directing resources to the conditions that lead to breaches, rather than waiting for the breaches themselves, the team could intervene before service delivery was affected. — Allison Mais, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Later that day, Public Works Director Jason Shykowski emailed employees, directing them to compile a list of projects completed in the 2nd District over the previous 10 years, along with approximate costs. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Henderson had retired from the sheriff’s office about five months before the crash and was working as a special deputy directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati during graduation. — Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026