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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Byrd’s attorneys Friday argued the directive to invalidate signatures of inactive voters was valid and cited state efforts to prevent petition fraud.
—
Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026
Any future engagement would require consensus from UNDP’s Executive Board and clear directives from Member States.
—Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
The directive follows a June 2025 memo that outlined the same time frame for a valid request to be made.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2026
Show houses are unfailingly eye-catching—perhaps because designers, unburdened by client directives, are able to fully unleash their imaginations.
—Alia Akkam, Architectural Digest, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for directive
Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2026
Any future engagement would require consensus from UNDP’s Executive Board and clear directives from Member States.
—Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
The directive follows a June 2025 memo that outlined the same time frame for a valid request to be made.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 12 Jan. 2026
Show houses are unfailingly eye-catching—perhaps because designers, unburdened by client directives, are able to fully unleash their imaginations.
—Alia Akkam, Architectural Digest, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for directive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directive
Noun
-
Choose the oven’s steam setting if there is one and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
14 Jan. 2026
-
The telenovella follows a woman who is about to get married, while also being in love with another man, and includes several plot twists, cleverly woven intermingled with scenes of the country’s landmark destinations and informative safety instructions for flight passengers.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The actor-filmmaker, his wife Amal and their kids Alexander and Ella were recently granted citizenship in France, per a naturalization decree obtained by the French newspaper Journal officiel and viewed by PEOPLE.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
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The police reform decree has been in effect for more than six years, and there has been criticism and concern about the pace of implementation.—
John Schmidt,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The guidance will be reviewed for potential incorporation into the department’s General Orders — the department’s principal policy document — according to a memorandum sent to Austin City Council members Wednesday evening.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Jan. 2026
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Jay Yu, Nano Nuclear’s founder and chairman, said that the memorandum marks a great milestone for the company.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Trump’s edict was light on details — and the shares pared those losses in later trading — but the message was sent.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
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The Gospel of Matthew, McGowan said, recounts how King Herod – upon learning that a child born in Bethlehem was destined to one day take his throne – issued an edict for all male children in the city to be executed.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
15 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Policinski referenced legislation and court rulings that highlight the clashing priorities that can exist between the government and the press.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
15 Jan. 2026
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Justice Sonia Sotomayor offered sharp commentary on Tuesday about the Supreme Court‘s recent rulings, claiming the high court has adopted several past dissenting opinions as new rulings.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
What began as an excited move to Charlotte has, within months, turned into rising charges, disputed utility bills and an eviction notice.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
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These environments see constant permission requests and file-sharing notices, which made the lures feel routine.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The temporary restraining order issued Monday states that — for the time being — Davis cannot remove Wilcox from the primary ballot, alter her status as a candidate or notify the Texas Secretary of State’s office that Wilcox is ineligible or should be excluded from the ballot.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Jan. 2026
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Despite that, in July, Molina Cervantes requested dismissal of the restraining order against him, according to court records.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The prose looks polished, charts look clean, and a single percentage point buried in the model quietly pushes the decision in a different direction.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
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His reckless decision to escalate the aggression and number of immigration agents is a causal factor, regardless of the outcome of an investigation into this tragic death.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Directive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directive. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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