direct

[ dih-rekt, dahy- ]

/ dɪˈrɛkt, daɪ- /

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See synonyms for: direct / directed / directing / directs on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to manage or guide by advice, helpful information, instruction, etc.: He directed the company through a difficult time.

to regulate the course of; control: History is directed by a small number of great men and women.

to administer; manage; supervise: She directs the affairs of the estate.

to give authoritative instructions to; command; order or ordain: I directed him to leave the room.

to serve as a director in the production or performance of (a musical work, play, motion picture, etc.).

to guide, tell, or show (a person) the way to a place: I directed him to the post office.

to point, aim, or send toward a place or object: to direct radio waves around the globe.

to channel or focus toward a given result, object, or end (often followed by to or toward): She directed all her energies toward the accomplishment of the work.

to address (words, a speech, a written report, etc.) to a person or persons: The secretary directed his remarks to two of the committee members.

to address (a letter, package, etc.) to an intended recipient.

verb (used without object)

to act as a guide.

to give commands or orders.

to serve as the director of a play, film, orchestra, etc.

adjective

proceeding in a straight line or by the shortest course; straight; undeviating; not oblique: a direct route.

proceeding in an unbroken line of descent; lineal rather than collateral: a direct descendant.

Mathematics.

(of a proportion) containing terms of which an increase (or decrease) in one results in an increase (or decrease) in another: a term is said to be in direct proportion to another term if one increases (or decreases) as the other increases (or decreases).
(of a function) the function itself, in contrast to its inverse.Compare inverse (def. 2).

without intervening persons, influences, factors, etc.; immediate; personal: direct contact with the voters; direct exposure to a disease.

straightforward; frank; candid: the direct remarks of a forthright individual.

absolute; total; exact: the direct opposite.

consisting exactly of the words originally used; verbatim: direct quotation.

Government. of or by action of voters, which takes effect without representatives or another intervening agency, as in direct democracy.

inevitable; consequential: War will be a direct result of such political action.

allocated for or arising from a particular known agency, process, job, etc.: The new machine was listed by the accountant as a direct cost.

Electricity. of or relating to direct current.

Astronomy.

moving in an orbit in the same direction as the earth in its revolution around the sun.
appearing to move on the celestial sphere in the direction of the natural order of the signs of the zodiac, from west to east.Compare retrograde (def. 4).

Surveying. (of a telescope) in its normal position; not inverted or transited.

(of dye colors) working without the use of a mordant; substantive.

adverb

in a direct manner; directly; straight: Answer me direct.

OTHER WORDS FOR direct

18 open, sincere, outspoken.

See synonyms for direct on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of direct

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English directen (verb) (from Anglo-French ), from Latin dīrēctus, past participle of dīrigere “to align, straighten, guide” (equivalent to dis-, dī- + -rigere, combining form of regere “to guide, rule”); see origin at di-²

synonym study for direct

4. Direct, order, command mean to issue instructions. Direct suggests also giving explanations or advice; the emphasis is not on the authority of the director, but on steps necessary for the accomplishing of a purpose. Order connotes a personal relationship in which one in a superior position imperatively instructs a subordinate to do something. Command, less personal and, often, less specific in detail, suggests greater formality and, sometimes, a more fixed authority on the part of the superior.

OTHER WORDS FROM direct

di·rect·a·ble, adjectivedi·rect·ness, nounpre·di·rect, verb (used with object)self-di·rect·ing, adjective

sem·i·di·rect, adjectivesem·i·di·rect·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use direct in a sentence

It is helpful to have direct moderation, as other forum sites like Reddit have shown, but it’s often not enough.
Facebook tries to clean up Groups with new policies|Sarah Perez|September 17, 2020|TechCrunch
Those who aren’t in the direct path of the flames are breathing some of the unhealthiest air in the world.
California wildfires may give way to massive mudslides|Ula Chrobak|September 17, 2020|Popular-Science
I realized that what I didn’t enjoy doing was drawing up projects, starting the project, and overseeing them rather than having a direct influence.
Christian Puglisi Is Closing His Influential Copenhagen Restaurants. COVID Is Only Partly to Blame|Rafael Tonon|September 17, 2020|Eater
You wrote some pretty direct Facebook posts through the Illinois National Guard page to address those.
Mobilizing the National Guard Doesn’t Mean Your State Is Under Martial Law. Usually.|by Logan Jaffe|September 17, 2020|ProPublica

Some apps support more direct commands, saving you a lot of time tapping and scrolling.
Get around your phone more quickly than you already are|David Nield|September 16, 2020|Popular-Science
And I also read that you were only the second black female director to be accepted into the directing branch of AMPAS.
Ava DuVernay on ‘Selma,’ the Racist Sony Emails, and Making Golden Globes History|Marlow Stern|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Playing Asteroids is a little like directing a television show,” Fisher has told me.
‘Asteroids’ & The Dawn of the Gamer Age|David Owen|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When we did The Office, I was just so happy that we were writing something, directing something, and getting it made.
Stephen Merchant Talks ‘Hello Ladies’ movie, the Nicole Kidman Cameo, and Legacy of ‘The Office’|Marlow Stern|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What were the biggest hiccups while directing your first feature?
Jon Stewart Talks ‘Rosewater’ and the ‘Chickensh-t’ Democrats’ Midterm Massacre|Marlow Stern|November 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
By 2010, Hunter was directing a well received revival of Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts at Access Theatre on Broadway.
Meet the Future Mrs. Benedict Cumberbatch|Tom Sykes|November 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is the will directing the activity of the intellect into some particular channel and keeping it there.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
Attention is the Will directing the Intellect into some particular channel and keeping it there.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
Attention is directing the intellect into some particular channel and keeping‌ it there.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
Attention is the will directing the intellect into some particular channel and keeping it there.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
He has just been directing a new opera here which has created quite a sensation, and he is continually engaged in some great work.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay

British Dictionary definitions for direct

direct

/ (dɪˈrɛkt, daɪ-) /

verb (mainly tr)

to regulate, conduct, or control the affairs of

(also intr) to give commands or orders with authority to (a person or group)he directed them to go away

to tell or show (someone) the way to a place

to aim, point, or cause to move towards a goal

to address (a letter, parcel, etc)

to address (remarks, words, etc)to direct comments at someone

(also intr) to provide guidance to (actors, cameramen, etc) in the rehearsal of a play or the filming of a motion picture

(also intr)

to conduct (a piece of music or musicians), usually while performing oneself
another word (esp US) for conduct (def. 9)

adjective

without delay or evasion; straightforwarda direct approach

without turning aside; uninterrupted; shortest; straighta direct route

without intervening persons or agencies; immediatea direct link

honest; frank; candida direct answer

(usually prenominal) precise; exacta direct quotation

diametricalthe direct opposite

in an unbroken line of descent, as from father to son over succeeding generationsa direct descendant

(of government, decisions, etc) by or from the electorate rather than through representatives

logic maths (of a proof) progressing from the premises to the conclusion, rather than eliminating the possibility of the falsehood of the conclusionCompare indirect proof

astronomy moving from west to east on the celestial sphereCompare retrograde (def. 4a)

of or relating to direct current
(of a secondary induced current) having the same direction as the primary current

music

(of motion) in the same directionSee motion (def. 9)
(of an interval or chord) in root position; not inverted

adverb

directly; straighthe went direct to the office

Derived forms of direct

directness, noun

Word Origin for direct

C14: from Latin dīrectus; from dīrigere to guide, from dis- apart + regere to rule

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

direct

OTHER WORDS FOR direct

Origin of direct

synonym study for direct

OTHER WORDS FROM direct

Words related to direct

How to use direct in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for direct

Derived forms of direct

Word Origin for direct