directive

1 a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned the company president regularly issues directives intended for all staff members Synonyms of directive behest, charge, commandment, decree, dictate, direction, command, do, edict, imperative, injunction, instruction, order, wordWords Related to directive demand, requirement; mandate; countermand, counterorder; law, precept, prescript, prescription, rule; ordinance, regulation, statuteNear Antonyms of directive appeal, entreaty, petition, plea, urging; proposal, recommendation, suggestion

2 an order publicly issued by an authority a directive issued by the archbishop that is to be read during Sunday services at every parish Synonyms of directive bull, decree, diktat, edict, fiat, rescript, ruling, ukaseWords Related to directive call, conclusion, decision, deliverance, determination, diagnosis, judgment (or judgement), opinion, resolution, verdict; announcement, declaration, dictum, manifesto, proclamation, pronouncement; canon, encyclical

3 a written communication giving information or directions a growing stack of unread directives from the company's senior vice president Synonyms of directive memorandum, memo, noticeWords Related to directive announcement, bulletin, declaration, notification, posting, proclamation, pronouncement, release; dispatch, report; edict, pronunciamento, rescript; charge, command, dictate; directions, instructions, orders, word; encyclical, epistle, jotting, letter, mail, message, missive, note, post [chiefly British]