direction

noun di·rec·tion \ də-ˈrek-shən , dī- \

Updated on: 7 Dec 2017

Definition of direction

1 : guidance or supervision of action or conduct : management

working under the direction of the doctor

2 archaic : the address placed on the outside of a letter or package to be delivered : superscription

3 a : an explicit instruction : order

carefully read the directions

follow directions

b : assistance in pointing out the proper route —usually used in plural

asked for directions to the beach

4 : the line or course on which something is moving or is aimed to move or along which something is pointing or facing

came from the opposite direction

walking in the same direction

5 archaic : directorate 1

6 a : a channel or direct course of thought or action

deciding which direction to take as a writer

b : tendency, trend

c : a guiding, governing, or motivating purpose

His life lacked direction.

7 a : the art and technique of supervising the production of a show or performance : the art and technique of directing an orchestra, band, or a show (as for stage or screen)

b music : a word, phrase, or sign indicating the appropriate tempo, mood, or intensity of a passage (see ¹passage 6b) or movement (see movement 4c)

—

directionless

play \-ləs\ adjective

—

directionlessness

noun

See direction defined for English-language learners

See direction defined for kids

Examples of direction in a Sentence

The army attacked from three different directions.
Down the road, he could see a bus coming from the opposite direction.
The wind changed direction and started blowing in our faces.
Carefully read the directions before you begin the test.
Directions appear on the package.
We had to stop to ask for directions to the beach.
Excuse me. Could you please give me directions to the movie theater?
He was put in charge and given overall direction of the program.
Twenty-three employees work under her direction.
Several nurses working under the direction of this doctor have made complaints.

Recent Examples of direction from the Web

This is the Atomic Bomb Dome, located at the destruction’s epicenter, the sole building that managed to remain standing amid the massive force that flattened everything else for miles in all directions.

— juli berwald, Discover Magazine, "The Immortal Jellyfish," 20 Nov. 2017
Rebecca Wright’s direction manages to keep the fragmented narrative flowing smoothly.

— toby zinman, Philly.com, "Azuka Theatre's 'The Gap' is a female exploration of chasing answers," 5 Nov. 2017
Ware batted it away with two hands and then trudged slowly in the other direction.

— fletcher page, The Courier-Journal, "When needed the most, Kentucky's defensive backs haven't made plays | Fletcher Page," 4 Nov. 2017
The incident delayed drivers traveling during rush hour in both directions.

— monique o. madan, miamiherald, "Airplane makes emergency landing on Florida highway | Miami Herald," 3 Nov. 2017
Yet the decision could hinge on the price point and the direction of the franchise.

— rustin dodd, kansascity, "After career reinvention, reliever Mike Minor set to cash in as free agent," 3 Nov. 2017
The communities that these state and local departments serve will lose their voice and ability to participate in, and help shape the direction of, federal immigration-enforcement operations and investigations.

— michael mccaul, National Review, "California Is Building the Wrong Wall," 26 Oct. 2017
Julian Evans-Pritchard, china economist at Capital Economics, discusses China's policy direction and his outlook for the economy.

— Bloomberg, "Why Capital Economics Is Bearish on China After Congress," 25 Oct. 2017
Depending on conditions, sonar can find a submarine from many miles away and in any direction.

— david hambling, Popular Mechanics, "How the Soviet Union Snooped Waters for Enemy Subs—Without Sonar," 23 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'direction.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of direction

see ¹direct

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

direction Synonyms

DIRECTION Defined for English Language Learners

direction

noun

Definition of direction for English Language Learners

: the course or path on which something is moving or pointing
directions : a statement that tells a person what to do and how to do it : an order or instruction
: instructions that tell you how to go to a place