DIRECTS Synonyms: 131 Similar and Opposite Words

directs

verb

present tense third-person singular of direct

as in conducts

to cause to move to a central point or along a restricted pathway the aqueduct directs the water into an artificial lake

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in instructs

to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority our tour guide directed us to wait in front of the building until she could rejoin us

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in orders

to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority the caretaker directed that all of the windows be closed before we left

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in supervises

to look after and make decisions about the music teacher directs both the student orchestra and the marching band

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as in aims

to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal we quickly directed our attention toward the noise coming from the rear

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in steers

to point out the way for (someone) especially from a position in front the guide directed the tour through the museum with commendable efficiency and expertise

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of directs Tina Gharavi directs based on a screenplay by Justine Waddell; Haley Bennett stars as Katherine Hilbery, with Lily Allen as Mary Datchet, Elyas M’Barek as Ralph Denham, and Jack Whitehall as William Rodney. — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 14 Sep. 2026 Daniel Kaluuya plays her brother, and Chris Rock both directs — returning for his first film since 2014’s Top Five, which also premiered at TIFF — and co-stars as the director of a Dreamgirls revival that could be Misty’s big break. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026 Keaton Wooden directs, with Antoinette DiPietropolo choreographing. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2026 Travis Knight directs the pic penned by Chris Butler based on the Colin Meloy novel. — Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026 The typical pattern around the high directs storms to the west, missing the islands. — Nicholas Grondin, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2026 Its custom racetrack woofer drives deeper bass with minimal distortion, while the angled 20-degree acoustic tilt directs audio right to your ears. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026 The system directs concentrated energy at a vulnerable part of an incoming object until the target is disabled or destroyed. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026 The order directs federal agencies to look for ways to strengthen the ranching industry, study whether beef should be required to carry country-of-origin labels and take steps intended to help lower prices for consumers. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for directs

Verb

Space is central to national security infrastructure and warfighting efforts, and serves a critical role in how the military communicates, navigates, conducts operations and tracks threats globally.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 15 Sep. 2026
New defensive tariffs can be imposed only after the commission conducts a formal investigation, which is bound by statutory deadlines and triggered by evidence of injury to European industry.

— JONAS NAHM, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of conducts

Verb

Beside the cigarette vendor, another man is pulling a rainbow fishing net he's woven from its display on the long branch of a tree and instructs a cruiser to crouch before him.

— Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
This base pair substitution can, in some cases, radically change the shape of the protein the DNA instructs a cell to produce.

— Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of instructs

Verb

Patterns tell a story, such as a customer who orders from the same coffee shop every morning, books travel every March and recently started making payments to a competitor.

— Jess Turner, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
White House orders review of wolf protections The local concerns come as the federal government is reconsidering protections for wolves nationwide.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of orders

Verb

Some act like the cool parent who supervises their child’s drug use.

— Dónal Gill, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026
In her current role, Second Assistant District Attorney, Sprague supervises all homicides that occur in Plymouth County as well as all firearm and narcotics cases, according to her profile.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of supervises

Verb

This approach aims to reduce dependence on global raw material sources.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
As the project grows, it is set to employ up to about 100 people — and Haji said the company aims to source talent locally as much as possible.

— Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of aims

Verb

In the carousel of images, Yarmosky, 39, steers the boat and smiles as the pair enjoy some quality time together.

— Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
The approach does not have the same oversight, services or safeguards in place as the traditional foster care system, which also steers kids to live with family members.

— Romy Ellenbogen Herald, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of steers

Verb

Rounding out the new offerings is Wings, which channels Schlumberger’s love of using multiple metals in a single design.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2026
The property now reflects a vibrant, modern aesthetic that channels Havana’s golden age and Florida tropical cool.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026