1
as in instruction
a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned
the company president regularly issues directives intended for all staff members
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2
as in decree
an order publicly issued by an authority
a directive issued by the archbishop that is to be read during Sunday services at every parish
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3
as in memorandum
a written communication giving information or directions
a growing stack of unread directives from the company's senior vice president
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Recent Examples of directive
The planned lane reductions were reportedly central to the state's decision to take control of the project because such a change would conflict with Gov. Greg Abbott's directive to reduce traffic congestion.
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Megan Stringer, Axios, 12 Dec. 2024
On Wednesday, Trump revealed his intention to nominate Jared Isaacman, a billionaire tech entrepreneur with deep ties to Elon Musk and SpaceX, as NASA administrator.
NASA could face additional schedule change directives under the incoming leadership.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024
The directive also requires a stricter review of how graphite, another export with major use in electric batteries, is used in the U.S.
The move was not unexpected.
—Byandrew Nusca, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2024
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is known to be friendly to agribusiness and knows that transparency about the harsh realities of infectious disease outbreaks would diminish consumer trust and threaten its prime directive: To expand markets for producers.
—Crystal Heath and Gene Baur, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for directive 
Megan Stringer, Axios, 12 Dec. 2024
On Wednesday, Trump revealed his intention to nominate Jared Isaacman, a billionaire tech entrepreneur with deep ties to Elon Musk and SpaceX, as NASA administrator.
NASA could face additional schedule change directives under the incoming leadership.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024
The directive also requires a stricter review of how graphite, another export with major use in electric batteries, is used in the U.S.
The move was not unexpected.
—Byandrew Nusca, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2024
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is known to be friendly to agribusiness and knows that transparency about the harsh realities of infectious disease outbreaks would diminish consumer trust and threaten its prime directive: To expand markets for producers.
—Crystal Heath and Gene Baur, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for directive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directive
Noun
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This misunderstanding can result in inaccurate measurements if the recipe doesn't clarify further with weights or detailed instructions.Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2024
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Be sure to always check the instructions on the packaging before sudsing up.Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Among decrees issued Saturday were announcements of the dismissals of Sergiy Kyslytsya as permanent representative to the U.N. and Yevheniia Filipenko as permanent representative to the U.N. office and other organizations in Geneva.Gord Magill, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024
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Then came President Yoon Suk Yeol’s reckless martial law decree.William Pesek, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Normally, parties submit long and detailed memorandums outlining why a defendant should receive a certain sentence.Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 20 Dec. 2024
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Following a memorandum of understanding signed back in March, Nissan and Honda had partnered in August to research technologies for next-gen vehicle platforms.New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Musk announced a return-to-office policy at Tesla and SpaceX in 2022, ordering employees back for a minimum of 40 hours per week on site, though his edict was hampered at the time by a lack of space and resources, CNBC reported then.David Ingram, NBC News, 20 Nov. 2024
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Under an edict issued by Newsom in 2020, 35% of annual new car sales must be zero emission by model year 2026 and 100% by 2035.Russ Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The criminal case against former Uvalde school police chief Pete Arredondo will move ahead after a judge’s ruling Thursday.Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 19 Dec. 2024
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Representatives for Willis and Trump’s lead attorney in Georgia did not immediately respond Thursday to text messages seeking comment on the ruling.Kate Brumback, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Though only 14, Denise had that summer become a common enough sight at wild parties that her comings and goings were of little notice.Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
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Permit holders must comply with safety protocols, including posting warning signs, publishing public notices and inspecting systems at least once every seven days.Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Despite famously long lead times, tastemakers from Frank Sinatra to Jackie Kennedy, who wanted one for her yacht, quickly placed orders.Hannah Martin, Architectural Digest, 19 Dec. 2024
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Thomas Dickey, Mangione's lawyer for the Pennsylvania charges, said the extradition order had been customized to ensure his client's rights were protected.John Bacon, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Fast food restaurants open Christmas: McDonald's, Wendy's and more Opening on Christmas is often a franchise decision, so expect many locations to be closed Wednesday.Kelly Tyko, Axios, 25 Dec. 2024
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In the United States, the FDA makes the final decision on what to include in U.S. vaccines.Mark Kortepeter, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near directive
Cite this Entry
“Directive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directive. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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