conduct 1 of 2

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as in to direct
to cause to move to a central point or along a restricted pathway the gutter conducts water to the curb, thus protecting the house's basement

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to steer
to point out the way for (someone) especially from a position in front a job conducting tourists through the historical museum

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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conduct

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word conduct distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of conduct are control, direct, and manage. While all these words mean "to use one's powers to lead, guide, or dominate," conduct implies taking responsibility for the acts and achievements of a group.

conducted negotiations

In what contexts can control take the place of conduct?

The meanings of control and conduct largely overlap; however, control implies a regulating or restraining in order to keep within bounds or on a course.

controlling his appetite

When might direct be a better fit than conduct?

While in some cases nearly identical to conduct, direct implies constant guiding and regulating so as to achieve smooth operation.

directs the store's day-to-day business

When can manage be used instead of conduct?

The words manage and conduct can be used in similar contexts, but manage implies direct handling and manipulating or maneuvering toward a desired result.

manages a meat market

Examples 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 conduct
Verb
Several hours earlier, the military said U.S forces conducted precision airstrikes against a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility used by the Houthis and shot down multiple uncrewed aerial vehicles and an anti-ship cruise missile. Nathan Luna, ABC News, 21 Dec. 2024 The tension became pretty impossible to ignore during the film’s promotional tour, where Baldoni conducted solo interviews while Lively appeared with other cast members. Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 21 Dec. 2024
Noun
The questions around Gaetz's conduct played a key role in Gaetz withdrawing his bid to be the nation's top law enforcement official. Philip Elliott, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024 Though, some members of the special committee have hit back at Trump, saying the criminal conduct surrounding the riots was committed by Trump and his supporters, not those who investigated the incident afterward. Juliann Ventura, The Hill, 11 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for conduct 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conduct
Verb
  • Virgin River mayor and chief meddler Hope McRae (Annette O'Toole) is supervising the wedding organization, the town's equivalent of a royal wedding.
    Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
  • The kids can run around (supervised) with their peers for water sports, hiking, pizza parties, games, and more while parents enjoy yoga, tennis, swimming, or just take in the scenic views.
    Esther Carlstone, Parents, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • His office is planning to roll out the National Multimodal Freight Network in early 2025 to assist states in directing resources toward optimal freight transportation investments, as well as identify priorities for federal investment, to increase efficiency in the movement of trade.
    Lori Ann LaRocco, CNBC, 23 Dec. 2024
  • This solar flare produced a strong CME, directed over the sun's eastern limb.
    Ryan French, Space.com, 23 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • If Brisbane’s weather had behaved, that would be almost certainly six out of seven.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
  • Liam Payne's Death Authorities were first alerted at 5:04 p.m. on October 16 by a 911 call from the hotel's manager, who reported that a man was behaving aggressively and may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
    George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Its foreign minister in 2021 famously held a speech in thigh-high water to steer attention to the island's plight, expressing the feeling of desperation many in the region share.
    Katharina Buchholz, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
  • The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed they are involved in the investigation and asked locals to steer clear of the area around the hotel, which has been evacuated, according to CBS News.
    Angela Andaloro, People.com, 1 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Some studies suggest that Culex and Aedes mosquitoes can also transmit Oropouche.
    Geraldine Castro, WIRED, 20 Dec. 2024
  • That's because the OLED T comes with a Zero Connect Box that wireless transmits 4K video and streaming apps from up to 30 feet away.
    Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • One element of fixing problems was investing heavily in building their own technologies, whether that involves the factory machinery, the management software that runs their plants, or the back-end systems that handle their data.
    Jim Vinoski, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
  • The automaker has faced financial struggles, management upheavals and reputational damage following the 2018 arrest of former chairman Carlos Ghosn.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • By Ivan Amato edited by Gary Stix In the early 1950s biologists at Brooklyn College were using an electron microscope to pursue a lead that the leafhopper, a common insect that is about the size of a rice grain and named after one of its signature behaviors, could be an agent of viral transmission.
    Ivan Amato, Scientific American, 2 Jan. 2025
  • Spotify, after all, did not start out aiming to shape users’ listening behavior.
    Liz Pelly, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The co-chairs of the advisory board overseeing the building of the memorial are Lord Pickles, a Conservative politician, and Ed Balls, a former Labour M.P. who is now a podcaster and TV presenter.
    Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2025
  • Manchester United’s last midseason hire, Ralf Rangnick in 2021/22, was supposed to have a role overseeing long-term strategy at Old Trafford after his interim period as head coach ended.
    Steve Price, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near conduct

Cite this Entry

“Conduct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conduct. Accessed 7 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on conduct

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