direct 1 of 3

1
as in to channel
to cause to move to a central point or along a restricted pathway the aqueduct directs the water into an artificial lake

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3
as in to request
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority the caretaker directed that all of the windows be closed before we left

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as in to aim
to point or turn (something) toward a target or goal we quickly directed our attention toward the noise coming from the rear

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6
as in to steer
to point out the way for (someone) especially from a position in front the guide directed the tour through the museum with commendable efficiency and expertise

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direct

2 of 3

adjective

1
as in primary
done or working without something else coming in between a zoologist whose works are based entirely on her direct observation of animals in the wild the virus was the direct cause of the disease

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direct

3 of 3

adverb

as in straight
in a direct line or course flew direct to the coast

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb direct contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of direct are bid, charge, command, enjoin, instruct, and order. While all these words mean "to issue orders," direct and instruct both connote expectation of obedience and usually concern specific points of procedure or method, instruct sometimes implying greater explicitness or formality.

directed her assistant to hold all calls
the judge instructed the jury to ignore the remark

When would bid be a good substitute for direct?

The synonyms bid and direct are sometimes interchangeable, but bid suggests giving orders peremptorily (as to children or servants).

she bade him be seated

How do charge and enjoin relate to one another, in the sense of direct?

Charge adds to enjoin an implication of imposing as a duty or responsibility.

charged by the President with a secret mission

How are the words command and order related as synonyms of direct?

Both command and order imply authority and usually some degree of formality and impersonality; command stresses official exercise of authority.

a general commanding troops

When might enjoin be a better fit than direct?

While the synonyms enjoin and direct are close in meaning, enjoin implies giving an order or direction authoritatively and urgently and often with admonition or solicitude.

a sign enjoining patrons to be quiet

When is it sensible to use order instead of direct?

While in some cases nearly identical to direct, order may suggest peremptory or arbitrary exercise.

ordered his employees about like slaves

Examples of direct in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
There is no evidence that meteorologists or lawmakers have directed tropical cyclones to do their bidding, or have the capability to harness hurricanes in this way at all. Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 12 Oct. 2024 TikTok also directed users who watched or searched for Hurricane Milton content to information from the US Federal Emergency Management Agency. Clare Duffy, CNN, 12 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Just one day before the interview, Microsoft announced 10 new AI agents for its product Dynamics 365—said innovation stands in direct competition with Salesforce soon to be released AI agent Agentforce, which is set to be generally available on Friday. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024 New Delhi had increased the scrutiny of investments coming from China, blocked direct flights between the two countries and had practically barred issuing any visas to Chinese nationals since the Ladakh clashes. Reuters, NBC News, 24 Oct. 2024
Adverb
In October 2023, United Airlines became the first U.S. carrier to fly direct to Manila from the U.S. with a flight from San Francisco. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 31 July 2024 For American travelers, the best way to fly into the new Salerno airport for the time being is flying direct to London or Milan and hopping on a connecting flight to the Amalfi Coast. Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for direct 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'direct.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near direct

Cite this Entry

“Direct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/direct. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

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