1
as in instruction
a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned
the company president regularly issues directives intended for all staff members
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decree
an order publicly issued by an authority
a directive issued by the archbishop that is to be read during Sunday services at every parish
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3
as in memorandum
a written communication giving information or directions
a growing stack of unread directives from the company's senior vice president
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of directive
Abbott’s directive comes after the Florida Department of Transportation ordered cities to remove their rainbow crosswalks in August.
—
Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 23 Oct. 2025
Andrew became a prince automatically at birth, as the son of the then reigning monarch, and that status can only be changed if King Charles issues a directive known as a Letters Patent.
—Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Last week, the Administration also came under fire for a directive that expanded the definition of domestic terrorism indicators to include a wide range of political beliefs, including ideological markers such as anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism and anti-Christianity.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 21 Oct. 2025
Legal experts have criticized the directive as unconstitutional and are challenging it in the courts.
—Elizabeth Anne Wood, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for directive
Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 23 Oct. 2025
Andrew became a prince automatically at birth, as the son of the then reigning monarch, and that status can only be changed if King Charles issues a directive known as a Letters Patent.
—Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Last week, the Administration also came under fire for a directive that expanded the definition of domestic terrorism indicators to include a wide range of political beliefs, including ideological markers such as anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism and anti-Christianity.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 21 Oct. 2025
Legal experts have criticized the directive as unconstitutional and are challenging it in the courts.
—Elizabeth Anne Wood, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for directive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directive
Noun
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In Uttar Pradesh, a development initiative provided community health workers with a smartphone app that combined diagnostic and treatment instructions with a client-management program.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
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Customers can tap their phones to the bag’s logo to access brand videos, authentication verification, care instructions, and personalized questionnaires.—
Ritu Upadhyay,
Footwear News,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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What’s more, after the Velvet Revolution of 1989, Czechs who had their property seized by the state were allowed to reclaim much of it through a restitution system – but not ethnic Germans who lost it under the post-war Benes decrees.—
Will Tizard,
Variety,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The violence reached such a fever pitch that in April 1932, the federal government banned the SA through an emergency decree.—
Time,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Trump’s memorandum was consistent with one of his Inauguration Day executive orders, which prohibited DEI activities by all government agencies, grantees and contractors.—
Paul du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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The memorandum was cosigned by Vernadsky’s younger colleague Vitalii Khlopin, who had taken over the directorship of the Radium Institute from Vernadsky in 1939.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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The court's ruling could influence how future AI laws evolve and how victims seek justice.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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After considerable time, referee Cal McNeill announced that the ruling on the field — even though there had not been any indication of one — was that the ball indeed hit a Nevada player and was recovered by the Broncos.—
Jim Keyser,
Idaho Statesman,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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School district notices provide information about total costs that aren’t expressly stated in pitches posted on their websites asking taxpayers to pass the bonds.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
29 Oct. 2025
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The musician and his legal team filed a notice of appeal today (October 29) in a New York federal court.—
Matthew Strauss,
Pitchfork,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Stratospheric forecastable order obtained – that is a climate.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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That case revolves around a now-frozen second order from Immergut that blocked the deployment of troops from Oregon.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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These decisions are made over and over again as AI is developed and deployed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
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But Liebman insists that the decision to move back into major metropolitan hubs like Manhattan has less to do with RTO and more to do with a fear of being left behind in an uncertain job market.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Directive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directive. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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