guidance
Americannoun
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guidances
plural
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the act or function of guiding; leadership; direction.
- Synonyms:
- government, control, supervision, conduct, management
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advice or counseling, especially that provided for students choosing a course of study or preparing for a vocation.
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supervised care or assistance, especially therapeutic help in the treatment of minor emotional disturbances.
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something that guides.
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the process by which the flight of a missile or rocket may be altered in speed and direction in response to controls situated either wholly in the projectile or partly at a base.
noun
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leadership, instruction, or direction
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counselling or advice on educational, vocational, or psychological matters
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( as modifier )
the marriage-guidance counsellor
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something that guides
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any process by which the flight path of a missile is controlled in flight See also guided missile
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of guidance
Explanation
Guidance can mean steering (like the navigation system in a satellite) or the act of providing direction (like a guidance counselor does). Back in the 1530s, guidance started out meaning "the process of directing conduct," similar to what we think of when we think of parents, mentors, or counselors. If you've ever asked a friend for advice on what to wear, you were seeking their guidance. But guidance also applies to physical direction. We might use a global positioning system (GPS) for guidance when we drive. Years ago, sailors relied on the stars for guidance. Sherpas provide guidance to climbers hiking Mt. Everest so they don't get lost.
Vocabulary lists containing guidance
Leadership Vocabulary
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The Invention of Hugo Cabret
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The Titan's Curse
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The bank backed most of its guidance for 2026, including for a net result of at least 3.4 billion euros.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
Under the new guidance issued by the Judiciary, same-day hearings should only be granted if a child's immediate safety is at risk to ensure intervention is "focused on cases that genuinely require it".
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
Early on Wednesday, the company lowered its outlook for sales and earnings for 2026 and initiated guidance for 2027 that disappointed investors.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026
The softer-than-expected quarterly guidance comes after rival Booking said Tuesday that geopolitical conflicts were weighing on demand heading into the fourth quarter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
Ms. Dale isn’t just the leader of Friendship Club; she’s the guidance counselor for the whole school.
From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers
American Airlines and Southwest Airlines tempered their guidances for the year to reflect volatile fuel prices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
With no increase in hospitalizations in South Africa—and only about 1,200 cases per day—he advised the government against setting stricter guidances than the country already has.
From Scientific American ● Apr. 18, 2022
Whether a hospital CEO or restaurant worker, all Americans are trying to navigate a patchwork of coronavirus guidances and a vaccine rollout that has varied significantly throughout the country.
From Washington Post ● May 21, 2021
The Labor Department spokeswoman said, “OSHA’s current guidances, standards and regulations fully outline the rights and protections of workers from dangers such as the coronavirus.”
From New York Times ● Apr. 22, 2020
Diligent to flatter the lion; will provide him guidances, and fractional sustenances, in view of the coming hunt; will eat the lion's leavings, once the prey is slaughtered.
From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 19 by Thomas Carlyle
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
