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 With the council’s recent direction, Webb said, city staff and the ad hoc committee will continue further review of the Civic Center Park as a possible site for the police headquarters. Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 22 Mar. 2026 Numerous phones, recorders and microphones pointed in his direction. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026 So the trend is headed in our direction. NBC news, 22 Mar. 2026 They are being given directions by a senile old man who is losing his mind. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for direction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for direction
Noun
  • Refine a process with a peer so everyone’s work runs more smoothly, or write down instructions for something others need to know.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026
  • FedEx said in a statement its flight crew followed instructions from air traffic control and landed safely.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The intense heat wave threatens to make water management all the more challenging.
    Mira Rojanasakul, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Vireo Growth also signed a management services agreement to run the retail locations until the deal closes, which is expected to happen in the first half of the year.
    Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • When thoughts race, breathe slowly and trust your inner compass to organize your feelings before responding.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2026
  • The mythic dimension may be missing here, but Holmes darkly captivates within the narrower compass of this energizing revival.
    Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • That trend continued on Monday, with the Spurs outscoring the Heat by four points in the 12 minutes that Herro and Powell played together.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026
  • According to Housebots, the development also reflects a broader trend of collaboration between academic institutions and commercial enterprises in advancing robotics innovation in China.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Muddy floodwaters from severe rains inundated streets, pushed homes off their foundations, swallowed vehicles and prompted evacuation orders for thousands of residents in towns north of Honolulu on Friday as officials warned of the possible failure of a 120-year-old dam.
    CBS News, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
  • The surrounding ornamental designs of flowers and fruit include the arms of the Genoese Republic and the Custody of the Holy Land, the arm of the Franciscan order that shares guardianship of the Holy Sepulcher.
    Sarah Kozlowski, Dallas Morning News, 21 Mar. 2026
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, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Bianco, in turn, accused Bonta of political interference and said his investigation has been approved by a judge and will now proceed under court supervision.
    Tom Coulter, USA Today, 21 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • He’s known as someone who could raise the tide of an entire defense based on his football IQ and his propensity for getting his teammates properly aligned.
    Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026
  • The tide, however, has turned around since 2024 after former ECB President Mario Draghi’s report for the European Commission, which argued that Europe’s economy is being held back by outdated competition rules.
    Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • In 2003, as the United States invaded Iraq over false claims that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction, Khamenei issued a religious edict — a fatwa — declaring nuclear weapons to be forbidden under Islam.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
  • That was despite a Spanish edict forbidding Pueblo people to possess horses.
    Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 27 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Direction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direction. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.

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