1
as in instructions
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 managements
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 compasses
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 trends
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
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Recent Examples of directions
The Walt Whitman Bridge is closed in both directions Tuesday night because of police activity, the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management announced.
—
Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2026
The closed stretch covered 26 miles, from mile point 183 to mile point 209, in both directions.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 17 Mar. 2026
The nation is moving in two starkly different directions, with states such as Oklahoma, South Carolina and Kentucky phasing out their income tax to attract businesses and population.
—Betsy McCaughey, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Morning messages tug your focus in new directions.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 16 Mar. 2026
November 22 – December 21 Morning messages tug your focus in new directions.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2026
Styled by Mara Roszak using GHD hair tools, Stone’s hair was blow-dried and curled slightly in different directions at the ends, creating a beautiful wave that gives it a soft swing.
—Lena Raab, Glamour, 16 Mar. 2026
University Drive will be closed in both directions between Lancaster Avenue and Rosedale Street.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Mar. 2026
Pike followed the main line — called the trunk line — which had hoses branching off in other directions.
—Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2026
The closed stretch covered 26 miles, from mile point 183 to mile point 209, in both directions.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 17 Mar. 2026
The nation is moving in two starkly different directions, with states such as Oklahoma, South Carolina and Kentucky phasing out their income tax to attract businesses and population.
—Betsy McCaughey, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Morning messages tug your focus in new directions.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 16 Mar. 2026
November 22 – December 21 Morning messages tug your focus in new directions.
—Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2026
Styled by Mara Roszak using GHD hair tools, Stone’s hair was blow-dried and curled slightly in different directions at the ends, creating a beautiful wave that gives it a soft swing.
—Lena Raab, Glamour, 16 Mar. 2026
University Drive will be closed in both directions between Lancaster Avenue and Rosedale Street.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Mar. 2026
Pike followed the main line — called the trunk line — which had hoses branching off in other directions.
—Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directions
Noun
-
Let sit for 20 to 60 minutes, depending on the product's instructions.—
Tessa Cooper,
The Spruce,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Draft an important note, then revisit instructions, while keeping your tone respectful and firm.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Increasingly, managements at the gleaming apartment complexes that have been built in the past few years are offering deals or discounts to prospective tenants, a practice that wasn’t happening back when the mega-wave of new apartment construction hit Connecticut after the pandemic.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
13 Jan. 2026
-
In such a scenario, IPOs offer a better play for the Indian markets as managements and bankers price the issue attractively, drawing significant investor interest, experts told CNBC.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Likewise, this administration has demonstrated a talent for sudden pivots — foreign policy statements that change overnight, budget proposals that evaporate by morning, and messaging that suggests the communications team may be using different maps, compasses and time zones.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
In ordinary magnetic materials, unpaired electrons behave like tiny compasses and eventually align with one another.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Below, the top bag trends in street style for the fall 2026 season.—
Irene Kim,
Vogue,
22 Mar. 2026
-
As Glamour has previously noted, ankle jeans have been on a bit of a come-down as puddle hems dominate spring 2026 denim trends, but any shoe girl knows that ankle jeans are often the best way to show off the look's star accessory.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Israeli army has issued evacuation orders for many neighborhoods in Beirut as well as southern Lebanon.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Inside the Linebacker Lounge on Sunday night, Tom MacDonald took orders and reunited with old teammates.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Content aggregator Digg, which was in beta ahead of its comeback, was recently forced to pause operations and lay off staff in response to the horde of bots on its platform.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
22 Mar. 2026
-
People who were unexpectedly called to help with recovery operations, like McQueeney, played a key role in capturing the aftermath.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The document also included a tax reimbursement of $334 million that was calculated based on a March 11 close for the purposes of the filing.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The film noir tackles the corruptive tendencies of power, with Broderick Crawford as a populist politician who rises up as a Southern governor and wields dangerous influence.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Like most of us, FIG shed its more rebellious tendencies over time.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Directions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directions. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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