Definition of directionnext
1
2
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 Swim in a direction following the shoreline. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 7 June 2026 As Democrats continue to debate what went wrong in 2024 and the direction of the party, Beshear has offered up his own example as the leader of a red state for lessons on how the party can go forward. ABC News, 7 June 2026 Then, that suspect fired a gun in the direction of the gathering at the park. Briauna Brown, CBS News, 7 June 2026 Instead, stars are moving en masse outwards from the core of the SMC, in directions generally aligned along an axis pointing from (as seen from Earth) southeast to northwest. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 7 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for direction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for direction
Noun
  • Be sure to read all instructions and fill the form out only once.
    Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 6 June 2026
  • Kuwaiti’s military said forces were intercepting missiles and drones attacking the country, while Bahrain activated air raid sirens and told residents to move to the nearest safe location and follow official instructions.
    Michelle L. Price, Fortune, 6 June 2026
Noun
  • The chief planning officer is a key figure at most major commercial airlines, overseeing management of some of the most intricate aspects of air travel.
    Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 6 June 2026
  • Aramark Analyst Curtis Nagle said the food services and facilities management company is well positioned to be a data center beneficiary.
    Michael Bloom, CNBC, 6 June 2026
Noun
  • The problem is that these estimates gradually accumulate errors over time, causing the navigational equivalent of a slowly drifting compass.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 June 2026
  • Today’s mothers are expected to be both hyperrational project managers — scheduling enrichment, monitoring nutrition, tracking developmental milestones — and deeply intuitive caregivers, continuously consulting their emotional compass for guidance about their children and themselves.
    Nina Bandelj, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026
Noun
  • From the ’90s well through mid-2000s, shoe trends stayed in their lane.
    Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 9 June 2026
  • To battle the troubling trend, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney created a partnership with 20 big-name box stores to crack down on the shoplifting ring.
    Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 8 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
  • For a small subset of people with severe, treatment-resistant autoimmune or hypersensitivity conditions, there may be a short-term clinical rationale worth exploring under medical supervision.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
  • Patient 4’s lawsuit accused Sorial with intentional infliction of emotional distress and breach of fiduciary duty and Boca Raton Psychiatry of negligent supervision and vicarious liability.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 4 June 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Direction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direction. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on direction

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster