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 memoranda
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
Congress could hold hearings to examine whether senior officials disregarded judicial directives or retaliated against career lawyers.
—
Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
The third film in the franchise follows Ares (Jared Leto), an intelligent computer program who begins to question his orders and directives from CEO Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters), setting him on a collision course into the real world to find Eve Kim (Greta Lee), the current CEO of Encom.
—Leia Mendoza, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Over and over, the department has used the threat of pulling federal funding to force compliance with new directives and rapid shifts in policy.
—Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 8 Oct. 2025
Outside of the government’s directives, Canada Post is also proposing to remove a provision that could make room for the closure of as many as 493 urban and suburban post offices.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 6 Oct. 2025
Even with these clear directives, eerie events abound, which the sunbae relays to the narrator.
—Diana Arterian
october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
Earlier in 2025, acting NASA administrators and the office of management and budget issued directives to slash NASA’s workforce, committing to a reduction in force of over 4000 employees.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 1 Oct. 2025
Rules of engagement are directives governing how and when force can be used by the military.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Other directives call for enforcement of tougher department-wide fitness standards and calls for a 60-day review of what is taught at the military service academies and training schools.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
The third film in the franchise follows Ares (Jared Leto), an intelligent computer program who begins to question his orders and directives from CEO Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters), setting him on a collision course into the real world to find Eve Kim (Greta Lee), the current CEO of Encom.
—Leia Mendoza, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025
Over and over, the department has used the threat of pulling federal funding to force compliance with new directives and rapid shifts in policy.
—Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 8 Oct. 2025
Outside of the government’s directives, Canada Post is also proposing to remove a provision that could make room for the closure of as many as 493 urban and suburban post offices.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 6 Oct. 2025
Even with these clear directives, eerie events abound, which the sunbae relays to the narrator.
—Diana Arterian
october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
Earlier in 2025, acting NASA administrators and the office of management and budget issued directives to slash NASA’s workforce, committing to a reduction in force of over 4000 employees.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 1 Oct. 2025
Rules of engagement are directives governing how and when force can be used by the military.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Other directives call for enforcement of tougher department-wide fitness standards and calls for a 60-day review of what is taught at the military service academies and training schools.
—Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directives
Noun
-
During the shutdown, essential employees who are still working should continue to document their hours in accordance with special instructions from their agency's payroll provider, according to OPM.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
-
When prompt instructions encouraged models to maximize rewards or hit specific financial goals, irrationality increased.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Earlier this week, Maduro signed constitutional decrees to ready the country’s security powers to defend itself in case of an attack.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
-
In 1866, in the ancient city of Tanis, archaeologists uncovered two stone tablets with decrees from King Ptolemy III Euergetes upon the death of his daughter It was meant to be sent out to Egypt’s major temples.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Ever since, as the Taliban returned to power, once again issuing edicts to suppress women and girls, the clinic and its 34-year-old midwife Atifa have continued to provide a lifeline for mothers and young children.—
Elise Blanchard,
Time,
21 Aug. 2025
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One of the fundamental edicts of the [original Naked Gun creators] Zucker Brothers was you played against the comedy.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Those rulings will shape whether the prosecution moves toward trial or stalls amid continuing questions about politics, process, and prosecutorial independence.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
-
This latter point gestures at Ofcom’s High Court battle with GB News earlier this year, during which the news network successfully quashed rulings made by the regulator.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The policy memorandums lay out in detail his plans to enhance physical fitness, grooming standards and military readiness.—
NPR,
NPR,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Investigators were tasked with reviewing specific policy documents signed using the autopen, including clemency grants, executive orders, memoranda, and other presidential directives.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Green testified that Biermann showed her Instacart orders tied to Mowitz’s credit card.—
Sarah Jones,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
-
The organization filed a lawsuit in April and a motion for preliminary injunction in May on behalf of 12 students and their families seeking to declare the enforcement of the executive orders unconstitutional.—
Leo Bertucci,
Louisville Courier Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
There’s no due process here, either; the three triumvirs don’t get their hands dirty, their decisions can’t be appealed, and there’s no public process by which those to be killed will be identified before the decision is final.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Nike was previously one of the best growth stories for decades, but past leadership’s decisions have caused the stock to lag since late 2021.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In January 1914, eviction notices went out to every San Francisco cemetery, ordering them to remove their bodies and monuments, according to the Colma Historical Association.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
26 Oct. 2025
-
On a recent day, a patron drank a Guinness at the bar amid walls are covered in funeral notices from people who had come for a drink after saying that final goodbye.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Directives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directives. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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