guide

1 of 2

noun

ˈgīd

: one that leads or directs another's way

needed a guide for the safari

: a person who exhibits and explains points of interest

The museum guide was very helpful.

: something that provides a person with guiding information

used the stars as a guide to find their way back

: signpost sense 1

: a person who directs another's conduct or course of life

He was my mentor and guide during the early years of my career.

: a device for steadying or directing the motion of something

The jigsaw was equipped with a guide.

: a ring or loop for holding the line of a fishing rod in position

: a sheet or a card with projecting tab for labeling inserted in a card index to facilitate reference

: a member of a unit on whom the movements or alignments of a military command are regulated

—used especially in commands

guide right

guide

2 of 2

verb

guided; guiding

transitive verb

: to act as a guide to : direct in a way or course

He guided us around the city.

: to direct, supervise, or influence usually to a particular end

You'll need a lawyer to guide you through the legal system.

: to superintend the training or instruction of

A respected educator guided his studies.

intransitive verb

: to act or work as a guide

guider noun

Choose the Right Synonym for guide

guide, lead, steer, pilot, engineer mean to direct in a course or show the way to be followed.

guide implies intimate knowledge of the way and of all its difficulties and dangers.

guided the scouts through the cave

lead implies showing the way and often keeping those that follow under control and in order.

led his team to victory

steer implies an ability to keep to a course and stresses the capacity of maneuvering correctly.

steered the ship through a narrow channel

pilot suggests guidance over a dangerous or complicated course.

piloted the bill through the Senate

engineer implies finding ways to avoid or overcome difficulties in achieving an end or carrying out a plan.

engineered his son's election to the governorship

Example Sentences

Noun We hired a guide for our trip to the mountains. He was my friend and my guide in the early years of my career. They used the stars as a guide to find their way back. If past experience is any guide, we're in for a long and difficult project. Verb He guided us around the city. He claims that there were unknown forces guiding the outcome of the election. He carefully guided the ship into the harbor. She guided her team to victory. Let your conscience guide you. Her example helped to guide me toward a career in medicine. In his work, he has always been guided by a desire to help other people. programs to help guide teenagers away from drug use She had a guiding influence on my decision. His guiding principle when he built his house was that bigger was better. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the end, the book serves as a guide as much as a memoir, with failures as well as successes documented.

Devorah Lev-tov, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Nov. 2022 The war has kindled hope, at times bordering on triumphalism, for a renewal of liberal democracy, not just as a guide to foreign policy but as a mission at home.

George Packer, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2022 Members of the legislature will vote to allocate the money and are supposed to use the report as a guide.

al, 17 Nov. 2022 But if auction history is to serve as our guide, the Marie Antoinette stamp will likely prove record-breaking once more.

Leena Kim, Town & Country, 16 Nov. 2022 The Times’ 101 list was created 10 years ago by the late Restaurant Critic Jonathan Gold to serve as a guide to the most essential restaurants in L.A. and neighboring cities.

Los Angeles Times, 15 Nov. 2022 As out-of-town fans descend on Munich, air-traffic controller Tom Lang, who lives outside the city, plans to serve as a local guide.

David Uberti, WSJ, 11 Nov. 2022 As a rough guide, business class these days is some four to six times the price of economy.

John Walton, CNN, 7 Nov. 2022 Angel numbers are repeating number sequences, often used as a guide for deeper spiritual exploration.

Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 6 Nov. 2022

Verb

Potent message points to guide such a campaign are readily at hand.

Simon Lazarus, The New Republic, 24 Nov. 2022 Read our Best iPad Accessories guide to kit it out.

Eric Ravenscraft Matt Jancer, WIRED, 23 Nov. 2022 This 2023-2027 plan, now in draft form, is meant to guide decision making on how users want public lands managed for recreation users and money spent.

Michelle Theriault Boots, Anchorage Daily News, 22 Nov. 2022 These days, the actress also credits another family member for helping to guide her way.

Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 22 Nov. 2022 Some opponents have said on social media that Thrive 2050, which will guide growth in the county for the next 30 years, should be put on hold amid upheaval in the Montgomery planning department’s leadership.

Katherine Shaver, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2022 The Biden administration appears to have taken our warning calls as a how-to guide for effectuating political censorship through the private sector.

Vivek Ramaswamy, WSJ, 17 Aug. 2022 Jake Fedorowski, along with other nonbinary runners, published a how-to guide for race directors and maintains a public spreadsheet of races that are now open to nonbinary runners.

Ellen Mcgirt, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2022 Headphone Deals Check out our Best Wireless Headphones guide for more picks.

Haley Sprankle, Wired, 11 Aug. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'guide.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English gide, guide, from Anglo-French, from Old Occitan guida, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English wītan to look after, witan to know — more at wit

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of guide was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century