1
as in instructions
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 & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decrees
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 memorandums
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 directives
Among other things, he was accused of being openly critical of college leadership and of failing to respond to or complete directives from college officials.
—
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Wang and Sun executed directives from PRC representatives and sometimes sought permission from Chinese government officials to post content, Wang’s plea agreement said.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 14 May 2026
State policies allowing transgender girls to compete against cis-gender athletes puts California at odds with federal directives.
—Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
The administration is now arguing that courts cannot tell the president how to manage national security clearances or interfere with his directives regarding building access or government contracts.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 14 May 2026
And some were holding back to figure out the right guard rails and directives to put in place before unleashing too many of autonomous ‘workers’ throughout their corporations.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 11 May 2026
The format creates space for reflection in a genre that usually fills every gap with directives.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Rejections and reversals of prior directives at the FDA division responsible for reviewing cell and gene therapies have destabilized the already shaky footing of this field.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 6 May 2026
Under directives from President Hosni Mubarak, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) withdrew routing data, and disabled key network infrastructure within two hours.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 4 May 2026
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Wang and Sun executed directives from PRC representatives and sometimes sought permission from Chinese government officials to post content, Wang’s plea agreement said.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 14 May 2026
State policies allowing transgender girls to compete against cis-gender athletes puts California at odds with federal directives.
—Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
The administration is now arguing that courts cannot tell the president how to manage national security clearances or interfere with his directives regarding building access or government contracts.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 14 May 2026
And some were holding back to figure out the right guard rails and directives to put in place before unleashing too many of autonomous ‘workers’ throughout their corporations.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 11 May 2026
The format creates space for reflection in a genre that usually fills every gap with directives.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Rejections and reversals of prior directives at the FDA division responsible for reviewing cell and gene therapies have destabilized the already shaky footing of this field.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 6 May 2026
Under directives from President Hosni Mubarak, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) withdrew routing data, and disabled key network infrastructure within two hours.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directives
Noun
-
The resulting disruptions include numerous school and business closings, remote work instructions and finding alternate sites for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities.—
Nicholas Lentz,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
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For the 2025 version, our approximately 10 pairings of drivers and navigators arrived on a Wednesday and convened at Monaco’s Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo to sign in and receive preliminary instructions for the next day’s start.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
11 May 2026
Noun
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But investors are taking a chance in tying their money to college sports at a time when there are unresolved and potentially transformative legal battles, with outcomes hinging less on economics than on judicial decrees.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
1 May 2026
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Under Díaz-Canel, the Cuban government has passed several laws and decrees to punish the sharing of opposition views, including on social media.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The visit, led by officials tied to the White House’s energy policy apparatus, is expected to produce memorandums of understanding covering oil and key minerals such as gold, aluminum and possibly coal.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
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As the justices’ memoranda illustrate, West Virginia, North Dakota and several energy companies sued the Obama administration over its Clean Power Plan and sought to block the new, transformative regulation from going into effect.—
Wayne Unger,
The Conversation,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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My worry is edicts from Hartford.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
-
While many edicts are necessary to protect public safety, many more are redundant, wasteful and anti-competitive, piling on unnecessary costs and stymieing innovation.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The variety of different rulings tee up a divide the Supreme Court will ultimately need to resolve.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
10 May 2026
-
Republicans have opened up an advantage in a national redistricting battle among states after a pair of court rulings that weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minorities and invalidated a key Democratic redistricting effort.—
David A. Lieb,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Real agencies usually provide clear, specific notices, not a long list of escalating threats in a single text.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
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The city issued formal notices in April and set a May 17 deadline for a payment agreement.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Beyond the bar, guests have access to an exclusive room service menu with proper meals for breakfast, dinner, and late-night orders.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
-
The catering started in 2025, and the Greek orders poured in.—
Sarah Kyrcz,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
Noun
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The Sun forms a cazimi with Mercury in Taurus in your 3rd House of Communication, illuminating messages, conversations, errands, and daily decisions with unusual clarity.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
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Presidential records are essential for the transfer of power between Administrations and helping lawmakers understand how past decisions were made.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Directives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directives. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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