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

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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 Climate goals are off target Delegates to COP30 are facing a world that, by many climate measures, is going in the wrong direction. Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 9 Nov. 2025 More broadly, 61% of survey respondents said the country was moving in the wrong direction, marking a 7-point increase since the pollsters last asked the question in March. Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025 On a separate note, if a major goal that was in reach suddenly spirals off into a new direction, do your best to trust the process. Kyle Thomas, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025 Even before his left elbow went in a direction no elbows should venture, Jayden Daniels’ sophomore NFL season was a big letdown. Kevin Cusick, Twin Cities, 8 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for direction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for direction
Noun
  • The young Malinin skated by himself, uninterested in instruction.
    Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Careful use of pesticides, following all label instructions.
    Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 6 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • First selected as a 20-year-old for the white-ball series against Australia in 2024, his introduction into the England environment was love at first sight for all the management involved.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Austin chef David Bull opened the restaurant at the Crazy Water Hotel in Mineral Wells before that hotel changed management.
    Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The next year, McDermott navigated more with his own compass and the Bills went 10-6.
    Dan Pompei, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
  • How mortgage rates move the rest of the year will vary, but experts also caution against viewing economic signals as a compass for your decisions.
    Brendan Dyer, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • These trends will have immediate electoral consequences.
    Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Other Indian cities with GCCs are seeing similar trends.
    Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • The company was also working with Transport for London on a double-decker electric bus, but the agency has yet to place an order.
    Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Cureate does not warehouse or distribute food products, the company buys purchases the food order and the farmer delivers it to the customer, Bryden said.
    Cristina LaRue, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • After being convicted of tampering with an electronic monitoring device in 2021, Klingler was sentenced to 8 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections and 12 months of post-release supervision.
    Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Casas, who lives in Miami in the offseason, has moved across the state to Fort Myers to continue his rehab under team supervision at the team’s JetBlue Park facilities.
    Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Greenland was incorporated into Denmark in 1953, as a tide of decolonization swept the globe following World War II.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
  • More than a year after it was completed, the Smith Canal Gate was closed Monday because water levels rose to 8 feet, along with some other factors, including rising king tides and precipitation, according to Darren Suen, San Joaquin Area Flood Control Agency executive director.
    Charlie Lapastora, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Owners who defy this edict will be tied down and forced to watch their machines being destroyed during a demolition derby that will be free for the public to watch.
    Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Of course, Nix never has to worry about the pain his defensive teammates can inflict, protected in practice by the strict don’t-touch-the-QB edict.
    Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Direction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direction. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.

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