direction

noun

də-ˈrek-shən How to pronounce direction (audio)
Definition of directionnext
1
as in instruction
a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned we were given very specific directions for the first part of the exam

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in management
the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something working under the close direction of the engineering supervisor

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
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 And then there's Snif’s Notewrks Clean Getaway, which takes the fresh-laundry category in a more elevated direction. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 11 July 2026 Nike may be moving in the right direction, but the quality of the recovery matters more than the headline. — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026 Still, no punches thrown from his direction on the way out, beyond the social-media trail that seemingly precipitated the Friday fracas with Adebayo. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2026 Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said at the time that winds suddenly changed direction, causing the flames to shift and surround the forestry workers. — ABC News, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for direction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for direction
  1. instruction
  2. management
  3. compass
  4. trend
  5. order
  6. supervision
  7. tide
  8. edict
Noun
  • The best way for passengers to reduce their risk of injury is to follow crew instructions and keep their seat belts fastened when directed.
    — Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 10 July 2026
  • Most of the victims died while attempting to flee and ignored shelter-in-place instructions, said Antonio Sanz, president of Andalusia’s emergency services.
    — Suman Naishadham, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of instruction
Noun
  • According to the company, the platform uses open systems architecture, autonomous software, strong command and control, and scalable mission management to support large groups of drones.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026
  • Some gold ETFs directly invest in bullion kept in vaults, while others invest in shares of mining companies that tend to follow the price of gold while also being swayed by the companies’ management decisions, efficiency and financials.
    — Liz Knueven, CNBC, 15 July 2026
Definition of management
Noun
  • For now, the lookout volunteers use a map, compass and familiarity with landmarks to pinpoint the location for initial attack crews.
    — Susan Montoya Bryan, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
  • The prevailing motifs include Anglo-American boarding schools and college campuses, accoutrements with a romantic aura (billowing sleeves, melting candles), and analog artifacts (old compasses, monocles).
    — Sophia Zhang, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026
Definition of compass
Noun
  • With so many faces coming and going, the hope is the swirl doesn't upset relationships and positive trend lines that have taken years to construct.
    — Chris Tye, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • The overall trend, however, remains one of long-term forest loss, particularly in tropical regions where biodiversity is highest.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026
Definition of trend
Noun
  • If pad thai is already your go-to order, Mama Sidas needs to be in the rotation.
    — Justin Brown, AJC.com, 12 July 2026
  • The judge stressed that his order should not be mistaken as an endorsement of the Department of Justice’s decision to abandon the case.
    — Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
Definition of order
Noun
  • Be vigilant about never leaving young children and pets in vehicles without supervision, especially during periods of intense heat, as car interiors can quickly become extremely hot.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026
  • Raftelis highlighted the November caseload for one probation officer who had a total of 753 cases under their supervision.
    — Nathan Pilling July 15, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026
Definition of supervision
Noun
  • The gore comes like a tide, shockingly for a mainstream studio wide release.
    — Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Oceanfront has long been treated as the aristocrat of waterfront living, prized for its horizon lines, lull of the tide and powerful symbolism of standing where land gives way.
    — Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of tide
Noun
  • Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse The highly agile Getty shooter Alan Crowhurst has done us a great favor by bringing concrete cloakroom evidence of the many social and administrative challenges that the (famous) Royal Ascot costume edicts require in order to be properly met.
    — Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
  • The memorandum includes a pledge by Iran to never purchase or construct nuclear weapons — a vow the Islamic Republic has made multiple times before, including by signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, in a religious edict issued by the late supreme leader and in the Obama-era nuclear accord.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
Definition of edict

Browse Nearby Words

directing
direction
directionless
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Direction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direction. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on direction

Nglish: Translation of direction for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All