1
2
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 Always follow package directions when applying fertilizer to your garden to avoid over-fertilizing. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 July 2025 But Gunn takes this lightness and tries to bend it in every direction imaginable. Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 11 July 2025 Instead, dad pulled him in another direction Thursday. Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025 Moreover, some leadership teams today have heightened security concerns, in addition to the challenge of acting as the face and key driver of an organization’s strategic direction. Michele Dobnikar, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for direction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for direction
Noun
  • The first is do not send or accept wire instructions by email.
    Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 12 July 2025
  • Some sirens can broadcast specific instructions, which can help.
    Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Girls may, for example, struggle with time management, daydreaming or being a chatterbox and are more likely to be diagnosed with the primarily inattentive type of ADHD over the hyperactive type.
    Daliah Singer, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 July 2025
  • Emotional intelligence and the soft skills necessary to inspire hope are often seen as part of culture or talent management, rather than leveraged as strategic assets.
    Camille Nicita, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • This clarity becomes your compass for navigating complexity and creating meaningful, lasting impact.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
  • This can happen if a storm blows them off-course from their migratory trajectory or if their internal compass gets mixed up, but scientists suspect there might be other complex factors at play.
    Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • The trend for wide and baggy jeans continued, especially styles that were ripped and shredded.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 9 July 2025
  • These trends illustrate attackers’ growing interest in exploiting less secure communication channels—and, in turn, highlight the need for security teams to do more to defend them.
    Eyal Benishti, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • Five months into its unprecedented dismantling of foreign-aid programs, the Trump administration has given the order to incinerate food instead of sending it to people abroad who need it.
    Hana Kiros, The Atlantic, 15 July 2025
  • Advertisement Those orders had been suspended as a matter of routine.
    Juwayriah Wright, Time, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • Intermittent remote supervision and remote assistance continue forever, and do not disqualify a team from crossing the line.
    Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.
    Don Sweeney July 14, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • This may be the last, best window for pro-innovation crypto rules before a future political realignment shifts the tides.
    Jason Brett, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
  • Now that viewers have had a chance to see Hyun-ju’s two-season arc, the tide has turned around his casting.
    Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025
Noun
  • Similarly, the May edict only allowed garments to pass through the Nhava Sheva and Kolkata seaports.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 3 July 2025
  • Braun wants to drive down health care costs and expand access in rural areas ― a broad edict the legislature started working on in 2023.
    Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 2 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Direction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direction. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on direction

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!