Definition of directionnext
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as in compass
a guiding or motivating purpose or principle a life that seemed to lack any direction other than the mindless pursuit of empty pleasures

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in trend
a prevailing or general movement or inclination some older people worry about the overall direction that political discourse has taken lately

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 direction The idea, in a nutshell, is that AI’s input should be bounded by human initiative and direction. John Werner, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026 The lyrical direction of this record intrigued me. Hanif Abdurraqib, New Yorker, 31 May 2026 And try and make that the new direction of the Republican Party. CBS News, 31 May 2026 This would, among other things, give a new direction to the relationship with the United States, creating new opportunities that benefit Colombia…Under our administration, the relationship with the United States would be strengthened and revitalized. Armando Regil Velasco, FOXNews.com, 31 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for direction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for direction
Noun
  • Both clubs also have youth academies aiming to offer affordable instruction to younger players.
    PJ Green May 30, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2026
  • Where needed, eriophyid mites can be controlled with horticultural oil, neem oil or miticide sprays following label instructions.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 May 2026
Noun
  • In the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the agency had $500 million for forest management and fire prevention that was not directly tied to cap-and-invest or the bond — up from about $65 million two decades prior.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
  • Her intellectual property and brand management company, TAS Rights Management, filed trademark applications covering short audio clips of her voice and her visual likeness.
    Daryl Lim, Fortune, 30 May 2026
Noun
  • In truth, my compass spun in search of whiskey and other spirits, looking for how these spirits illuminated a culture.
    Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
  • Through a series of flight and lab experiments, researchers found pigeons can use special cells in their liver as an internal compass.
    Kasha Patel, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
Noun
  • The trend extends well beyond a handful of stars.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
  • Even with its on-trend Susanne Kaufmann spa, the wellness center, which also includes a gym, still feels like a bit of an afterthought.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • In order to add Espinal back to the roster, the Dodgers had to clear a 40-man roster spot.
    Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
  • During a September 2025 interview with the Taco Policy podcast, Talarico noted that his usual go-to taco order is actually a bacon and egg taco on a flour tortilla – another common combination for breakfast taco connoisseurs.
    Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Noun
  • Factory production moved work out of skilled, relatively autonomous craft systems and into centralized regimes of supervision, discipline, and timing.
    Christopher Marquis, Time, 30 May 2026
  • This is individualizing dosing under close medical supervision to address specific clinical situations.
    Jody Dushay, STAT, 29 May 2026
Noun
  • Allied forces stormed the beach at Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, effectively turning the tide of World War II.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 29 May 2026
  • The importance of the weather D-day, secretly known as Operation Overlord, was timed based on several factors, including the weather, the tides and the moonlight.
    Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Noun
  • The edict that journalists be accompanied at all times while on Pentagon grounds was introduced in March after a judge struck down an earlier set of restrictions.
    Scott Nover, Washington Post, 18 May 2026
  • The Chargers’ last game was a playoff loss to Vrabel’s Patriots, so nothing short of an edict from the NFL probably would have stopped the franchise’s social media team from referencing the Vrabel-Russini controversy.
    Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Direction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direction. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.

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