direction

noun

di·​rec·​tion də-ˈrek-shən 

dī-

1

: guidance or supervision of action or conduct : management

working under the direction of the doctor

2

archaic : the address placed on the outside of a letter or package to be delivered : superscription

3

a

: an explicit instruction : order

carefully read the directions

follow directions

b

: assistance in pointing out the proper route

—usually plural

asked for directions to the beach

4

: the line or course on which something is moving or is aimed to move or along which something is pointing or facing

came from the opposite direction

walking in the same direction

5

archaic : directorate sense 1

6

a

: a channel or direct course of thought or action

deciding which direction to take as a writer

b

: tendency, trend

c

: a guiding, governing, or motivating purpose

His life lacked direction.

7

a

: the art and technique of supervising the production of a show or performance : the art and technique of directing an orchestra, band, or a show (as for stage or screen)

b

music : a word, phrase, or sign indicating the appropriate tempo, mood, or intensity of a passage (see passage entry 1 sense 6b) or movement (see movement sense 4c)

directionless

də-ˈrek-shən-ləs 

adjective

directionlessness noun

Synonyms of direction

• instruction
• order
• edict
• directive
• do

Examples of direction in a Sentence

The army attacked from three different directions.

Down the road, he could see a bus coming from the opposite direction.

The wind changed direction and started blowing in our faces.

Carefully read the directions before you begin the test.

Directions appear on the package.

We had to stop to ask for directions to the beach.

Excuse me. Could you please give me directions to the movie theater?

He was put in charge and given overall direction of the program.

Twenty-three employees work under her direction.

Several nurses working under the direction of this doctor have made complaints.

Recent Examples on the Web

A number of pasts—Dutch, Puritan English, and revolutionary era—have been subsumed in the telling, and the changes Rip finds on returning to his village suggest Irving’s own ambivalence about the direction the United States was taking. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026

The directions seem no more suspicious than things they’ve been required to do for a decade. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026

Newfound conviction, something that appears like a direction. — Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Beyond keeping a close eye on inflation, the Fed must balance the labor market and financial conditions, areas where current data does not point uniformly in one direction. — CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see direct entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing direction

• a step in the right direction
• co-direction
• direction angle
• direction cosine
• direction finder
• in the direction of (something)
• sense of direction
• stage direction

Rhymes for direction

• abjection
• advection
• affection
• bijection
• bisection
• collection
• complexion
• confection
• connection
• connexion
• convection
• correction

Kids Definition

direction

noun

di·​rec·​tion də-ˈrek-shən 

dī-

1

: guidance of action or conduct : management

many people working under my direction

direction of a play

2

: an instruction, indication, or order given with authority

follow directions

3

: the line or course along which something moves, lies, or points

headed in a northerly direction

4

: tendency sense 1, trend

a new direction in literature

directionless

-ləs 

adjective