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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 Think of it as an air wing on the back of a car, but going the opposite direction and into the water behind the boat. New Atlas, 29 Aug. 2025 And yet the rest of her, the real her — her essence, her consciousness seemed to be quite intact and alert, floating slowly through the air in the direction of the Vitava River. Lizz Schumer, People.com, 29 Aug. 2025 Kennedy reiterated that change in direction in an email to all CDC staff obtained by NPR. Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR, 29 Aug. 2025 As Styles zooms past, a small boy walking the opposite direction waves and catches the Grammy winner’s attention. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for direction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for direction
Noun
  • For instance, the Breeze comforter is not designed for washing machines, and the instructions say to spot clean, or dry-clean when needed.
    Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Since the spaghetti cooks twice — first in boiling water and then in the oven — cook it to al dente when following the package instructions.
    Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Every operational upgrade in our distribution model was carefully timed, including the introduction of new inventory management tools, team hires, vendor agreements and, eventually, a 50,000-plus square foot distribution space.
    Aleksandr Zemel, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • That's double management's original target for the year.
    Jeff Marks, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Saint Lucia’s Sugar Bay On The Orient Express Corinthian A landscape protected as a World Heritage site, the Pitons of Saint Lucia present the breathtaking beauty of nature’s handiwork from every compass point.
    Kathleen Turner, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
  • The rugged exterior is designed for the outdoors, featuring a wireless charging pad, dual flashlights, and a compass clip for added utility in the backcountry.
    Becca Blond, Travel + Leisure, 24 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Experts say the trend is even more pronounced in South Florida, as homeowners face pressure from insurers and storm season deadlines, leading to a significant increase in new roofs.
    CD Goette-Luciak, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Consolidation has been another trend, with some fretting over Amazon merging Wondery into Audible and cutting staff.
    James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • In November 2023, A woman was delivering a DoorDash order in Virginia when she was carjacked at gunpoint by an 11-year-old and an 18-year-old.
    Saleen Martin, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
  • An immigration order prohibits Abrego Garcia's deportation to his home country of El Salvador.
    Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 23 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The Athletic can confirm that inspectors from La Liga’s stadium supervision committee visited the Camp Nou last Tuesday, but no immediate conclusions were shared.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
  • Introducing any new pet, even of the same species, should be done slowly and under supervision, especially with older animals.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Humans are, after all, 60% water—and the moon controls the tides.
    Taylor Grothe, Parents, 27 Aug. 2025
  • Implicit in their impassioned defenses was the belief that the role of a humanist is to preserve knowledge, safeguard learning from the market and the tides of popular interest, and ward off coarse appeals to economic utility.
    Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 26 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • But the Chiefs instituted a second edict that came to light at training camp, which wrapped up at Missouri Western on Wednesday.
    Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 14 Aug. 2025
  • The episode is a reminder that the edicts of one administration can be revisited by the next.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 31 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Direction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direction. Accessed 2 Sep. 2025.

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