1
as in instruction
a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned
we were given very specific directions for the first part of the exam
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in management
the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something
working under the close direction of the engineering supervisor
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in compass
a guiding or motivating purpose or principle
a life that seemed to lack any direction other than the mindless pursuit of empty pleasures
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in trend
a prevailing or general movement or inclination
some older people worry about the overall direction that political discourse has taken lately
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 direction
Guests with prepaid parking should follow the directions to the specific parking lot.
—
Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 21 Sep. 2025
Her ascension to lead one of America's largest conservative youth organizations also raises questions about the future direction of the movement.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
Her game has stretched in every direction, too.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 21 Sep. 2025
His nifty 40-yard TD run in the third quarter featured three changes of direction and gave Boise State momentum again after Air Force had tied the score at 21-21.
—Jim Keyser, Idaho Statesman, 21 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for direction
Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 21 Sep. 2025
Her ascension to lead one of America's largest conservative youth organizations also raises questions about the future direction of the movement.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
Her game has stretched in every direction, too.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 21 Sep. 2025
His nifty 40-yard TD run in the third quarter featured three changes of direction and gave Boise State momentum again after Air Force had tied the score at 21-21.
—Jim Keyser, Idaho Statesman, 21 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for direction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for direction
Noun
-
Ticket holders who wish to seek refunds following the lineup change will receive instructions via email from Ticketmaster, per organizers.—
Althea Legaspi,
Rolling Stone,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Follow evacuation instructions without delay.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Instead, what outsiders mistake as a lack of control is usually careful management of who gets to steal and how the spoils are distributed.—
Zephyr Teachout,
The Atlantic,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Companies that ignore policy risks discover too late that perfect products and strong management teams cannot overcome hostile regulatory environments.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Even the acronym of GPS jibed with her view of how a kid’s own resourcefulness could be used as an inner compass.—
Shawn Price,
Oc Register,
19 Sep. 2025
-
This is such a wonderful way to reset one’s internal compass.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The charm idea also plays into the Labubu effect which has galvanized the trend for collectible bag charms.—
Stephanie Hirschmiller,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Getty Images That upward trajectory stands in contrast to the United States, where life expectancy virtually flatlined during the 2010s and even dipped slightly on occasions during the 2010s—a trend blamed in large part on a surge in deaths from overdoses from the synthetic opioid fentanyl.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Earlier this season, Altuve asked Espada to move Peña to the top of the batting order.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Because their oath was to protect the Constitution of the United States and to protect the rule of order in this country and the rule of law.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The investigation also found fault with inadequate supervision within the detective’s unit and at the command level.—
Monroe Trombly,
Louisville Courier Journal,
23 Sep. 2025
-
From supporting directors in pitching to studios, to designing characters and environments, planning complex sequences in pre-production, on set supervision, and delivering finals in post, VFX is woven into every stage of filmmaking.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Far from thinning out, the crowds grew denser as the hours passed, borne toward the Piazza Maggiore, the main square of the city’s historic center, as if on a tide.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
-
North Carolina turned the tide with a 20-3 win over Charlotte and blew out Richmond 41-6 last week to reach 2-1 entering Saturday.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
21 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The edict is also risky, potentially giving viewers the sense that Brennan is less able to question or challenge her guests — one of the main elements of TV’s Sunday political shows that bring viewers to them in the first place.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Direction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direction. Accessed 24 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share