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Direction Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

Direction Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

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Est. 1828

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direction

noun

di·​rec·​tion

də-ˈrek-shən 

dī-

Synonyms 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 pluralasked 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 sense 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 passage entry 1 sense 6b) or movement (see movement sense 4c)

directionless

də-ˈrek-shən-ləs 

adjective

directionlessness

noun

Synonyms

behest

charge

command

commandment

decree

dictate

directive

do

edict

imperative

injunction

instruction

order

word

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

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.

See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Both cars spun in a clockwise direction as a result of the impact.

—Daniel McFadin, arkansasonline.com, 3 Mar. 2024

That was when the seeds of this issue’s exploration of the brand’s new direction took root.

—Paul Croughton, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2024

The play was a huge turning point in the wrong direction for the Bruins (14-15 overall, 9-9 Pac-12) who quickly saw their three-point lead evaporate as Washington State (23-7, 14-5) commenced a 14-2 run that gave the Cougars a 69-60 advantage.

—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024

Mortgage rates had been ticking down but are now going in the other direction since the economy is showing strong signs of a soft landing and not a recession.

—Catherine Reagor, The Arizona Republic, 2 Mar. 2024

Yet even that figure is a marked improvement from the peak inflationary days in the summer of 2022, when only 13 percent of voters felt the nation was headed in the proper direction.

—Shane Goldmacher, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024

Mix the hair color according to the directions and add an equal amount of moisturizing shampoo.

—Tracee Cornforth, Verywell Health, 1 Mar. 2024

The lawsuit casts Musk as a central figure in the AI’s recent evolution, as well as someone who is deeply concerned about the direction the industry is taking.

—Morgan Meaker, WIRED, 1 Mar. 2024

The best the country can do is to align incentives so that smart policymaking points in the same direction as career longevity.

—Elizabeth N. Saunders, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024

See More

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

Word History

Etymology

see direct entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of direction was

in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Phrases Containing direction

a step in the right direction

direction angle

direction finder

direction cosine

in the direction of (something)

sense of direction

stage direction

co-direction

Dictionary Entries Near direction

direct investment

direction

directional

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

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Chicago

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Merriam-Webster

“Direction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/direction. Accessed 12 Mar. 2024.

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Kids Definition

direction

noun

di·​rec·​tion

də-ˈrek-shən 

dī-

1

: guidance of action or conduct : management

many people working under my direction direction of a play

2

: an instruction, indication, or order given with authority

follow directions

3

: the line or course along which something moves, lies, or points

headed in a northerly direction

4

: tendency sense 1, trend

a new direction in literature

directionless

-ləs 

adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on direction

Nglish: Translation of direction for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of direction for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated:

6 Mar 2024

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DIRECTION | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

DIRECTION | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

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English (UK)

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English

Meaning of direction in English

directionnoun uk

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/daɪˈrek.ʃən/ /dɪˈrek.ʃən/ us

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/dɪˈrek.ʃən/ /daɪˈrek.ʃən/

direction noun

(POSITION)

Add to word list

Add to word list

B1 [ C ] the position towards which someone or something moves or faces: "No, go that way," I said, pointing in the opposite direction. He was going in the direction of the bedroom. They drove away in opposite directions.

 directions A2 [ plural ]

instructions that you give to someone about how to find a particular place: Can you give me directions to your house?

See more  in someone's direction (also UK towards someone's direction); (also US toward someone's direction)

B2 the area or position that someone is in: She keeps looking in my direction.

See more  sense of direction

B2 the ability to find places or to know which direction to go: a good sense of direction

See more

More examplesFewer examplesWe felt the plane bank steeply as it changed direction.Why will supermarket trolleys never move in the direction that you push them in?I was waving my hand madly but he never once looked in my direction.When he asked where the children were, she gestured vaguely in the direction of the beach.From the top, we could see for miles in every direction.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Direction of motion

abduct

abduction

adduct

adduction

against the current

circumduction

cross-country

destined

direction of travel

en route

facing

follow

go

into

outbound

overland

right

straightly

the right/wrong/other way around idiom

with the current

See more results »

direction noun

(CONTROL)

C1 [ U ] control or instruction: The project was under the direction of a well-known academic.

 directions C1 [ plural ]

information or orders telling you what to do: I couldn't understand the directions on the packet.

See more

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Managing and organizing

admin

administer

administration

anti-bureaucracy

bronze command

get up

get your act together idiom

gold command

have something in hand idiom

have/get your shit together idiom

marshal

mobilize

mount

party planning

project-manage

rationalization

rationalize

recentralization

remobilization

scrum

See more results »

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Instructions and orders

direction noun

(DEVELOPMENT)

C2 [ C or U ] the way that someone or something changes or develops: There is disagreement over the direction the project is taking. Her latest album represents a change of direction for her. This plan isn't perfect, but it's a step in the right direction.

Idiom

lack direction

(Definition of direction from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

direction | American Dictionary

directionnoun us

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/dəˈrek·ʃən, dɑɪ-/

direction noun

(POSITION)

Add to word list

Add to word list

[ C ] the position toward which someone or something moves or faces: Cars were facing every direction after slamming into each other on the icy road. I glanced in her direction (= toward her). You’re headed in the direction of (= toward) Toronto.

[ pl ] Directions are instructions about how to find the place you are looking for: We’re lost – let’s stop and ask (for) directions .

direction noun

(CONTROL)

[ U ] the condition of being in charge or in control: Under her direction, the agency doubled in size.

(Definition of direction from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of direction

direction

Finally, the authors conclude with a summary and a few points about the future directions for this compelling domain.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Each state of the domain is defined by some satellites, some directions, some instruments and a number of modes.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

In the satellite domain, satellites need to take images in different directions, in certain modes, using appropriate instruments.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The directions of differences, whether significant or not, are shown for the +inversion groups in (17) and (18).

From the Cambridge English Corpus

I will argue for the conclusion that we find influence in both directions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Theoretical literature on the maturing individual tends to take one of two directions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Then, to thunderous drumming of the big drum and clashing of the large cymbals, they dance past each other and exit in separate directions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Evolution, human engineering, science, and culture all systematically reuse constructs in new contexts that drive their elaboration in new directions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

A relative base value of 100 has been used to allow the fluctuation of each criterion in both directions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The female moves the ovipositor in and out in various directions through thefleshof the apple with the greatest ease.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Furthermore, we would not expect crosslinguistic in-uence to occur in both directions during the same developmental phase.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Circumstantial evidence, which he employs in his chronological chapters, but not in this context, points in other directions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

A few of the chapters seem to strike out in such individual directions that their inclusion would be debatable.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

I will ®nish by making a few remarks regarding directions for further study.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

If there is a breakdown in feature checking but no loss of gender on nouns, one would anticipate problems in both directions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

See all examples of direction

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

Collocations with direction

direction

These are words often used in combination with direction.Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.

axial directionThe streams of the coronal plasma are found to be nonuniform in the axial direction.

From the Cambridge English Corpus  

causal directionUntangling the causal direction allows us to investigate whether political conversation makes good citizens, or whether it is good citizens who engage in political conversation.

From the Cambridge English Corpus  

changed directionThe changed direction of patterns observed in 1982 on the snow surface on top of the peninsula, would tend to support this idea.

From the Cambridge English Corpus  

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

See all collocations with direction

What is the pronunciation of direction?

B1,A2,B2,B2,C1,C1,C2

Translations of direction

in Chinese (Traditional)

方向, 方向，朝向, 控制…

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in Chinese (Simplified)

方向, 方向，朝向, 控制…

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in Spanish

dirección, dirección [feminine], direcciones [feminine]…

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in Portuguese

direção, direção [feminine]…

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in more languages

in Marathi

in Japanese

in Turkish

in French

in Catalan

in Dutch

in Tamil

in Hindi

in Gujarati

in Danish

in Swedish

in Malay

in German

in Norwegian

in Urdu

in Ukrainian

in Russian

in Telugu

in Arabic

in Bengali

in Czech

in Indonesian

in Thai

in Vietnamese

in Polish

in Korean

in Italian

ज्या जागेकडे किंवा दिशेकडेएखादी व्यक्ती किंवा एखादी वस्तू सरकते किंवा चेहरा करते., मार्गदर्शन, दिशा…

See more

方向, 方角, 方向（ほうこう）…

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yön, istikamet, doğrultu…

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direction [feminine], orientation [feminine], sens [masculine]…

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direcció…

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richting, leiding, aanwijzing…

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ஒருவர் அல்லது ஏதோ ஒன்று நகரும் அல்லது எதிர்கொள்ளும் நிலை, கட்டுப்பாடு அல்லது அறிவுறுத்தல், ஒருவர் அல்லது ஏதோ ஒன்று மாறும் அல்லது உருவாகும் விதம்…

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(किसी व्यक्ति या चीज़ की ओर) दिशा, संचालन, मार्गदर्शन…

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દિશા, નિર્દેશન, દીશા…

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retning, ledelse, om vej…

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riktning, håll, [väg]ledning…

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mengarah, penjaga, arahan…

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die Richtung, die Führung, die Anleitung…

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retning [masculine], retning, ledelse…

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سمت, طرف, ہدایت…

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напрям, напрямок, керування…

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направление, путь развития, руководство…

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దారి, నియంత్రణ లేక సూచన, ఎవరైనా లేక ఏదైనా మారుతున్న లేక అభివృద్ధి చేసే విధానం…

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اتِّجاه…

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দিকনির্দেশ, নির্দেশনা, গতিপথ…

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směr, vedení, instrukce…

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arah, bimbingan, petunjuk…

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ทิศทาง, การควบคุม, การชี้ทาง…

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hướng, hướng dẫn, chỉ dẫn…

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kierunek, strona, kierownictwo…

See more

방향…

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direzione, istruzioni…

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directed edge

BETA

directed line

BETA

directed path

BETA

directing

direction

direction of travel

directional

directional light

BETA

directionality

BETA

More meanings of direction

All

co-direction

self-direction

stage direction

principal direction

direction of travel

cardinal direction, at cardinal point

in someone's direction phrase

See all meanings

Idioms and phrases

in someone's direction phrase

lack direction idiom

sense of direction phrase

way/direction the wind blows idiom

toward someone's direction, at in someone's direction phrase

towards someone's direction, at in someone's direction phrase

point someone towards/in the direction of something idiom

See all idioms and phrases

Word of the Day

response

UK

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/rɪˈspɒns/

US

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/rɪˈspɑːns/

an answer or reaction

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Contents

English 

Noun 

direction (POSITION)

directions

in someone's direction

sense of direction

direction (CONTROL)

directions

direction (DEVELOPMENT)

American 

Noun 

direction (POSITION)

direction (CONTROL)

Examples

Collocations

Translations

Grammar

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Bing Maps - Directions, trip planning, traffic cameras & more

DIRECTION | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

DIRECTION | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

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English

Meaning of direction in English

directionnoun us

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/dɪˈrek.ʃən/ /daɪˈrek.ʃən/ uk

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/daɪˈrek.ʃən/ /dɪˈrek.ʃən/

direction noun

(POSITION)

Add to word list

Add to word list

B1 [ C ] the position toward which someone or something moves or faces: "No, go that way," I said, pointing in the opposite direction. He was going in the direction of the bedroom. They drove away in opposite directions.

 directions A2 [ plural ]

instructions that you give to someone about how to find a particular place: Can you give me directions to your house?

See more  in someone's direction (also UK towards someone's direction); (also US toward someone's direction)

B2 the area or position that someone is in: She keeps looking in my direction.

See more  sense of direction

B2 the ability to find places or to know which direction to go: a good sense of direction

See more

More examplesFewer examplesWe felt the plane bank steeply as it changed direction.Why will supermarket trolleys never move in the direction that you push them in?I was waving my hand madly but he never once looked in my direction.When he asked where the children were, she gestured vaguely in the direction of the beach.From the top, we could see for miles in every direction.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Direction of motion

abduct

abduction

adduct

adduction

against the current

circumduction

cross-country

destined

direction of travel

en route

facing

follow

go

into

outbound

overland

right

straightly

the right/wrong/other way around idiom

with the current

See more results »

direction noun

(CONTROL)

C1 [ U ] control or instruction: The project was under the direction of a well-known academic.

 directions C1 [ plural ]

information or orders telling you what to do: I couldn't understand the directions on the box.

See more

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Managing and organizing

admin

administer

administration

anti-bureaucracy

bronze command

get up

get your act together idiom

gold command

have something in hand idiom

have/get your shit together idiom

marshal

mobilize

mount

party planning

project-manage

rationalization

rationalize

recentralization

remobilization

scrum

See more results »

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Instructions and orders

direction noun

(DEVELOPMENT)

C2 [ C or U ] the way that someone or something changes or develops: There is disagreement over the direction the project is taking. Her latest album represents a change of direction for her. This plan isn't perfect, but it's a step in the right direction.

Idiom

lack direction

(Definition of direction from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

direction | Intermediate English

directionnoun us

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/dəˈrek·ʃən, dɑɪ-/

direction noun

(POSITION)

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[ C ] the position toward which someone or something moves or faces: Cars were facing every direction after slamming into each other on the icy road. I glanced in her direction (= toward her). You’re headed in the direction of (= toward) Toronto.

[ pl ] Directions are instructions about how to find the place you are looking for: We’re lost – let’s stop and ask (for) directions .

direction noun

(CONTROL)

[ U ] the condition of being in charge or in control: Under her direction, the agency doubled in size.

(Definition of direction from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of direction

direction

And as long as the two aren't pulling in the same direction, they might as well be pulling in opposite ones.

From Slate Magazine

Traffic will be maintained with one lane in each direction.

From cleveland.com

A step in the right direction would be to stop talking about machines getting smarter; that's an insult to smartness.

From TechCrunch

But now, he feels as good about the direction of his team as he has at any point in his tenure.

From The Denver Post

Paths traced by the low-dose rats looked like loopy kindergarten scribbling, while those of the higher-dose rats were simpler, with few changes of direction.

From Los Angeles Times

The two are now heading in opposite directions.

From Bloomberg

Conservative politics at least tried to move in the opposite direction in the past few years.

From Slate Magazine

If you want to get to the good stuff, you're always trying things and going in directions that may not work.

From Los Angeles Times

I had no idea what it was for, but he gave me some direction and that was easy.

From Hollywood Reporter

Sure, a lot of processes are still quite flawed, but these are baby steps in the right direction.

From Fast Company

When a load is placed on a bone from running, jumping, landing or direction changes, that process begins.

From Huffington Post

Much of science and religion spring from the same human desire to find meaning and direction in life.

From NPR

I love visiting these customer accounts to talk about strategy and direction.

From Fast Company

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

Collocations with direction

direction

These are words often used in combination with direction. Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.

axial directionThe streams of the coronal plasma are found to be nonuniform in the axial direction.

From the Cambridge English Corpus  

causal directionUntangling the causal direction allows us to investigate whether political conversation makes good citizens, or whether it is good citizens who engage in political conversation.

From the Cambridge English Corpus  

changed directionThe changed direction of patterns observed in 1982 on the snow surface on top of the peninsula, would tend to support this idea.

From the Cambridge English Corpus  

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

See all collocations with direction

What is the pronunciation of direction?

B1,A2,B2,B2,C1,C1,C2

Translations of direction

in Chinese (Traditional)

方向, 方向，朝向, 控制…

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in Chinese (Simplified)

方向, 方向，朝向, 控制…

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in Spanish

dirección, dirección [feminine], direcciones [feminine]…

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in Portuguese

direção, direção [feminine]…

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in more languages

in Marathi

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in French

in Catalan

in Dutch

in Tamil

in Hindi

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in German

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in Ukrainian

in Russian

in Telugu

in Arabic

in Bengali

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in Indonesian

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in Vietnamese

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ज्या जागेकडे किंवा दिशेकडेएखादी व्यक्ती किंवा एखादी वस्तू सरकते किंवा चेहरा करते., मार्गदर्शन, दिशा…

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方向, 方角, 方向（ほうこう）…

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yön, istikamet, doğrultu…

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direction [feminine], orientation [feminine], sens [masculine]…

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direcció…

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richting, leiding, aanwijzing…

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ஒருவர் அல்லது ஏதோ ஒன்று நகரும் அல்லது எதிர்கொள்ளும் நிலை, கட்டுப்பாடு அல்லது அறிவுறுத்தல், ஒருவர் அல்லது ஏதோ ஒன்று மாறும் அல்லது உருவாகும் விதம்…

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(किसी व्यक्ति या चीज़ की ओर) दिशा, संचालन, मार्गदर्शन…

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દિશા, નિર્દેશન, દીશા…

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retning, ledelse, om vej…

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riktning, håll, [väg]ledning…

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mengarah, penjaga, arahan…

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die Richtung, die Führung, die Anleitung…

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retning [masculine], retning, ledelse…

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سمت, طرف, ہدایت…

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напрям, напрямок, керування…

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направление, путь развития, руководство…

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దారి, నియంత్రణ లేక సూచన, ఎవరైనా లేక ఏదైనా మారుతున్న లేక అభివృద్ధి చేసే విధానం…

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اتِّجاه…

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দিকনির্দেশ, নির্দেশনা, গতিপথ…

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směr, vedení, instrukce…

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arah, bimbingan, petunjuk…

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ทิศทาง, การควบคุม, การชี้ทาง…

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hướng, hướng dẫn, chỉ dẫn…

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kierunek, strona, kierownictwo…

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방향…

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direzione, istruzioni…

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directed edge

BETA

directed line

BETA

directed path

BETA

directing

direction

direction of travel

directional

directional light

BETA

directionality

BETA

More meanings of direction

All

co-direction

self-direction

stage direction

principal direction

direction of travel

cardinal direction, at cardinal point

in someone's direction phrase

See all meanings

Idioms and phrases

in someone's direction phrase

lack direction idiom

sense of direction phrase

way/direction the wind blows idiom

toward someone's direction, at in someone's direction phrase

towards someone's direction, at in someone's direction phrase

point someone towards/in the direction of something idiom

See all idioms and phrases

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response

UK

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US

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an answer or reaction

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Contents

English 

Noun 

direction (POSITION)

directions

in someone's direction

sense of direction

direction (CONTROL)

directions

direction (DEVELOPMENT)

Intermediate 

Noun 

direction (POSITION)

direction (CONTROL)

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DIRECTION | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

DIRECTION | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

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Meaning of direction – Learner’s Dictionary

directionnoun uk

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/dɪˈrekʃən/ us

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direction noun

(WAY)

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B1 the way that someone or something is going or facing: The car sped away in the direction of the airport. I think we're going in the wrong direction.

More examplesFewer examplesAre we going in the right direction?We continued in a southerly direction.The car was going in the opposite direction.His walk was aimless; he kept changing direction.Sirens came from every direction.

 in sb's direction

B2 towards someone: She keeps looking in my direction.

direction noun

(DEVELOPMENT)

the way that someone or something changes or develops: Our careers have gone in very different directions.

direction noun

(CONTROL)

control or instructions: Under his direction the company has doubled its profits.

direction noun

(PURPOSE)

the ability to know what you want to do: According to his teachers, he lacks direction.

(Definition of direction from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translations of direction

in Chinese (Traditional)

方向, 方向，朝向, 控制…

See more

in Chinese (Simplified)

方向, 方向，朝向, 控制…

See more

in Spanish

dirección, dirección [feminine], direcciones [feminine]…

See more

in Portuguese

direção, direção [feminine]…

See more

in more languages

in Marathi

in Japanese

in Turkish

in French

in Catalan

in Dutch

in Tamil

in Hindi

in Gujarati

in Danish

in Swedish

in Malay

in German

in Norwegian

in Urdu

in Ukrainian

in Russian

in Telugu

in Arabic

in Bengali

in Czech

in Indonesian

in Thai

in Vietnamese

in Polish

in Korean

in Italian

ज्या जागेकडे किंवा दिशेकडेएखादी व्यक्ती किंवा एखादी वस्तू सरकते किंवा चेहरा करते., मार्गदर्शन, दिशा…

See more

方向, 方角, 方向（ほうこう）…

See more

yön, istikamet, doğrultu…

See more

direction [feminine], orientation [feminine], sens [masculine]…

See more

direcció…

See more

richting, leiding, aanwijzing…

See more

ஒருவர் அல்லது ஏதோ ஒன்று நகரும் அல்லது எதிர்கொள்ளும் நிலை, கட்டுப்பாடு அல்லது அறிவுறுத்தல், ஒருவர் அல்லது ஏதோ ஒன்று மாறும் அல்லது உருவாகும் விதம்…

See more

(किसी व्यक्ति या चीज़ की ओर) दिशा, संचालन, मार्गदर्शन…

See more

દિશા, નિર્દેશન, દીશા…

See more

retning, ledelse, om vej…

See more

riktning, håll, [väg]ledning…

See more

mengarah, penjaga, arahan…

See more

die Richtung, die Führung, die Anleitung…

See more

retning [masculine], retning, ledelse…

See more

سمت, طرف, ہدایت…

See more

напрям, напрямок, керування…

See more

направление, путь развития, руководство…

See more

దారి, నియంత్రణ లేక సూచన, ఎవరైనా లేక ఏదైనా మారుతున్న లేక అభివృద్ధి చేసే విధానం…

See more

اتِّجاه…

See more

দিকনির্দেশ, নির্দেশনা, গতিপথ…

See more

směr, vedení, instrukce…

See more

arah, bimbingan, petunjuk…

See more

ทิศทาง, การควบคุม, การชี้ทาง…

See more

hướng, hướng dẫn, chỉ dẫn…

See more

kierunek, strona, kierownictwo…

See more

방향…

See more

direzione, istruzioni…

See more

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dire

direct

direct debit

direct object

direction

directions

directive

directly

directness

Word of the Day

response

UK

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/rɪˈspɒns/

US

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/rɪˈspɑːns/

an answer or reaction

About this

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Forget doing it or forget to do it? Avoiding common mistakes with verb patterns (2)

March 06, 2024

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inverse vaccine

March 11, 2024

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Contents

Learner’s Dictionary 

Noun 

direction (WAY)

in sb's direction

direction (DEVELOPMENT)

direction (CONTROL)

direction (PURPOSE)

Translations

Grammar

All translations

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DIRECTION Definition & Usage Examples | Dictionary.com

DIRECTION Definition & Usage Examples | Dictionary.com

GamesDaily CrosswordWord PuzzleWord FinderAll gamesFeaturedWord of the DaySynonym of the DayWord of the YearNew wordsLanguage storiesAll featuredPop cultureSlangEmojiMemesAcronymsGender and sexualityAll pop cultureWriting tipsGrammar Coach™Writing hubGrammar essentialsCommonly confusedAll writing tipsGamesFeaturedPop cultureWriting tipsdirection[ dih-rek-shuhn, dahy- ]show ipaSee synonyms for: directiondirectionsdirectionless on Thesaurus.comnounthe act or an instance of directing. the line along which anything lies, faces, moves, etc., with reference to the point or region toward which it is directed: The storm moved in a northerly direction.the point or region itself: The direction is north.a position on a line extending from a specific point toward a point of the compass or toward the nadir or the zenith.a line of thought or action or a tendency or inclination: the direction of contemporary thought.Usually directions. instruction or guidance for making, using, etc.: directions for baking a cake.order; command.management; control; guidance; supervision: a company under good direction.a directorate. the name and address of the intended recipient as written on a letter, package, etc.decisions in a stage or film production as to stage business, speaking of lines, lighting, and general presentation.the technique, act, or business of making such decisions, managing and training a cast of actors, etc.the technique, act, or business of directing an orchestra, concert, or other musical presentation or group.Music. a symbol or phrase that indicates in a score the proper tempo, style of performance, mood, etc.a purpose or orientation toward a goal that serves to guide or motivate; focus: He doesn't seem to have any direction in life.See moreOrigin of direction1First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English direccioun, from Middle French, from Latin dīrēctiōn-, stem of dīrēctiō “arranging in line, straightening”; equivalent to direct + -ionsynonym study For direction5. See tendency. Other words from directiondi·rec·tion·less, adjectivepre·di·rec·tion, nounself-di·rec·tion, nounsu·per·di·rec·tion, nounWords Nearby directiondirect-examinedirect free kickdirect-grant schooldirect injectiondirect inputdirectiondirectionaldirectional derivativedirectional drillingdirectional microphonedirection angleDictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024How to use direction in a sentenceNow, barely a week later, Epstein's home in North Hollywood, California, has AT&T fiber service with unlimited data and advertised speeds of 300Mbps in both directions.AT&T scrambles to install fiber for 90-year-old after his viral WSJ ad | Jon Brodkin | February 12, 2021 | Ars TechnicaLight winds pick up just a tad from the northeasterly direction before dawn.D.C.-area forecast: Raw today. Iciness threat grows Saturday into early Sunday. | A. Camden Walker | February 12, 2021 | Washington PostThose fans can take today’s hearing as a step, however small, in the direction of Spears’s increased autonomy.Britney Spears’s conservatorship is back in court — and back in the public eye | Ashley Fetters | February 11, 2021 | Washington PostIn every direction, seawater creeps higher and higher, slopping across the floor of nearby buildings.Aromas can evoke beloved journeys — or voyages not yet taken | Jen Rose Smith | February 11, 2021 | Washington PostEither of those words alone point in the direction of filling, comfort-food satisfaction, but together they are practically a guarantee.Chili-tinged sweet potatoes are loaded in all the right ways - flavor, nutrition and satisfaction | Ellie Krieger | February 11, 2021 | Washington PostPleasure shoots magically in every direction like an explosion of sparks.‘A Gronking to Remember’ Speed Read: 8 Naughtiest Bits | Emily Shire | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTAbsent a body, no one can say with absolute certainty whether Castro is dead, even if all signs point in that direction.An Informant, a Missing American, and Juarez’s House of Death: Inside the 12-Year Cold Case of David Castro | Bill Conroy | January 6, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTAn arrow appears indicating the direction you will launch your ball.Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art | Alec Kubas-Meyer | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThey had hoped the autopsy would show Brinsley had eaten something that would point them in the right direction.Exclusive: Inside a Cop-Killer’s Final Hours | Michael Daly | December 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe ATSB has been impressive in the way it has taken over the direction of the search for Flight 370.Who Will Get AsiaAir 8501’s Black Boxes? | Clive Irving | December 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTA lateen sail was visible in the direction of Cat Island, and others to the south seemed almost motionless in the far distance.The Awakening and Selected Short Stories | Kate ChopinAfter a bit of waiting, Mac decided that the smoke was floating from a certain direction, and we began to edge carefully that way.Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairEven genius, however, needs direction and adjustment to secure the most perfect and reliable results.Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge SouthwickNow many people think that we are moving in the direction of world socialism to-day.The Salvaging Of Civilisation | H. G. (Herbert George) WellsHis superior talents and untiring industry were under the direction of philanthropic and Christian impulses.The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel MunsellSee More ExamplesBritish Dictionary definitions for directiondirection/ (dɪˈrɛkʃən, daɪ-) /nounthe act of directing or the state of being directedmanagement, control, or guidancethe work of a stage or film directorthe course or line along which a person or thing moves, points, or liesthe course along which a ship, aircraft, etc, is travelling, expressed as the angle between true or magnetic north and an imaginary line through the main fore-and-aft axis of the vesselthe place towards which a person or thing is directeda line of action; coursethe name and address on a letter, parcel, etcmusic the process of conducting an orchestra, choir, etcmusic an instruction in the form of a word or symbol heading or occurring in the body of a passage, movement, or piece to indicate tempo, dynamics, mood, etc(modifier) maths (of an angle) being any one of the three angles that a line in space makes with the three positive directions of the coordinate axes. Usually given as α, β, and γ with respect to the x-, y-, and z- axes(of a cosine) being the cosine of any of the direction anglesSee moreSee also directionsCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition

© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins

Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012Other Idioms and Phrases with directiondirectionsee step in the right direction.The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary

Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.Browse#aabbccddeeffgghhiijjkkllmmnnooppqqrrssttuuvvwwxxyyzzAboutCareersShopContact usAdvertise with usCookies, terms, & privacyDo not sell my infoFollow usGet the Word of the Day every day!Sign upBy clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.My account© 2024 Dictionary.com, LLC

direction | meaning of direction in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English | LDOCE

direction | meaning of direction in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English | LDOCE

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direction

Word family

(noun)

direction directness director

(adjective)

direct ≠ indirect

(verb)

direct redirect

(adverb)

directly ≠ indirectly From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishRelated topics: Filmdirectiondi‧rec‧tion /dəˈrekʃən, daɪ-/ ●●● S1 W1 noun

 1 towards [countable]DIRECTION the way something or someone moves, faces, or is aimed

 Which direction did they go in?in the direction of something

 The suspects were last seen heading in the direction of Miami.in somebody’s direction

 Tony glanced in her direction and their eyes met.

 The girls pointed in the opposite direction.

 On seeing me, Maurice changed direction and went along the wharf instead.

 As shots rang out, the crowd ran screaming in all directions.from the direction of something

 There was a loud scream from the direction of the children’s pool.in a southerly/easterly etc direction

 Continue in a southerly direction until you reach the road.RegisterIn everyday English, people usually use which way ...? when asking where something is rather than using the noun direction: Which direction did they go in? → Which way did they go? | Which direction is north? → Which way is north? 2 → directions3 way something develops [countable]WAY/MANNER the general way in which someone or something changes or develops

 We are happy with the direction the club is taking.move/head/go in the right direction

 I believe that things are heading in the right direction in South Africa.new/different/exciting etc direction

 The company is hoping to extend its operations in new directions.

4 control [uncountable]CONTROL control, management, or adviceunder somebody’s direction

 Under Thompson’s direction, the college has developed an international reputation. 5 where from or where to [countable]DIRECTION where something comes from or where something leadsin a direction

 The evidence all points in this direction.from a direction

 Help came from a wholly unexpected direction.6 purpose [uncountable]PURPOSE a general purpose or aim

 Her mother felt that Rachel’s life lacked direction.7 film/play [uncountable]AMF the instructions given to the actors and other people working on a film, play etc → a step in the right direction1(2)COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: the way something or someone moves, faces, or is aimedverbsgo in a directionI can give you a lift if you're going in my direction.move/head in a directionWe followed the other passengers heading in the direction of passport control.look/glance in a directionShe looked in the direction that Jeremy was pointing.face (in) a directionThe men were facing the direction from which they expected the attack.change direction (=start to go in a different direction)Suddenly the birds changed direction.adjectivesthe right/wrong directionAre you sure this is the right direction for Shipton?the opposite directionThe car crashed into a truck that was coming in the opposite direction.a southerly/westerly etc directionA strong wind was blowing from an easterly direction.phrasesin each/every direction (also in all directions)At the top of the tower there are splendid views in every direction.in both directionsThe traffic in both directions on the motorway wasn't moving at all.in different directionsThey said goodbye and walked off in different directions.in the general direction of something (=approximately where something is)He pointed in the general direction of the village.in a clockwise/anticlockwise direction (=like or unlike the movement of the hands of a clock)All movement on a roundabout is in a clockwise direction.a sense of direction (=the ability to judge which way you should be going)Do you have a good sense of direction?the direction of movement/travel/flow etcIt was hard work rowing against the direction of flow.

COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: verbsgive somebody directionsLuke's given me directions to his house.follow directionsYou can't get lost if you follow my directions.ask (somebody) for directionsLet's stop and ask someone for directions.get directions (=ask someone for directions)I went into a petrol station to get directions.adjectivesclear/goodHis directions were very clear and easy to follow. Examples from the Corpusdirection• Frightened by the sound of footsteps, the rabbits ran off in all directions.• Whatever the circumstances, reporting means learning new skills, taking new directions, having more room to grow.• It points the way to new directions for the late 1980s and 1990s.• The plane was traveling in a northeasterly direction when it was hit by lightning.• Officials have complained that there is a lack of direction in the mayor's office.• Tornadoes usually form when rising warm, moist air rotates, as winds from opposite directions collide.• Bill marched off angrily in the opposite direction.• It can not be repeated too often - don't develop a bias towards one particular attitude or direction.• I was hoping he wouldn't look in our direction and notice us sitting there.• We're going in the right direction now - I can see the main road up ahead.• The moons all move around the planet in the same direction.• This decision could determine the direction in which our lives will move.• The sound of shots came from the direction of the compound, a quarter of a mile away.• The two young men headed off in the direction of Central Park.• Hencke shone the torch in the direction of the sound.• Did you see which direction they went?

in a southerly/easterly etc direction• Do you think you could pull me up and then point me in an easterly direction once we're outside?• They are mopping up in a southerly direction.• Two split off and went in a southerly direction.new/different/exciting etc direction• In a fan experiment, other dishes are put at the same distance as the original dish, but in different directions.• They wanted him to take the company in new directions, and his brief was an open-ended one.• The banks of the river move; water flows in new directions.• But research by Bill Frey of the University of Michigan suggests that they are now going in different directions.• But we were moving in different directions and it had been clear for some while that we stayed together out of habit.• They tended, however, to go off in different directions.• For Oz the tide floated the magazine off the mudbank of media obsessions and into new directions.• On the other hand, no new direction was immediately apparent.from a direction• That is, time is imaginary and is indistinguishable from directions in space.• Imaginary time is indistinguishable from directions in space.

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