direction

American  

[dih-rek-shuhn, dahy-] / dɪˈrɛk ʃən, ˈdaɪ- /

noun

1. the act or an instance of directing.

2. the line along which anything lies, faces, moves, etc., with reference to the point or region toward which it is directed: directed.

   The storm moved in a northerly direction.

3. the point or region itself.

   The direction is north.

4. a position on a line extending from a specific point toward a point of the compass or toward the nadir or the zenith.

5. a line of thought or action or a tendency or inclination.

   the direction of contemporary thought.

6. Usually directions. instruction or guidance for making, using, etc..

   directions for baking a cake.

7. order; command.

8. management; control; guidance; supervision.

   a company under good direction.

9. a directorate.

10. the name and address of the intended recipient as written on a letter, package, etc.

11. decisions in a stage or film production as to stage business, speaking of lines, lighting, and general presentation.

12. the technique, act, or business of making such decisions, managing and training a cast of actors, etc.

13. the technique, act, or business of directing an orchestra, concert, or other musical presentation or group.

14. Music. a symbol or phrase that indicates in a score the proper tempo, style of performance, mood, etc.

15. a purpose or orientation toward a goal that serves to guide or motivate; focus.

    He doesn't seem to have any direction in life.

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direction British  

/ dɪˈrɛkʃən, daɪ- /

noun

1. the act of directing or the state of being directed

2. management, control, or guidance

3. the work of a stage or film director

4. the course or line along which a person or thing moves, points, or lies

5. the 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 vessel

6. the place towards which a person or thing is directed

7. a line of action; course

8. the name and address on a letter, parcel, etc

9. music the process of conducting an orchestra, choir, etc

10. music 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

11. (modifier) maths

    1. (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

    2. (of a cosine) being the cosine of any of the direction angles

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direction Idioms  

1. see step in the right direction.

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Related Words

See tendency.

Other Word Forms

• directionless adjective
• predirection noun
• self-direction noun
• superdirection noun

Etymology

Origin of direction

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English direccioun, from Middle French, from Latin dīrēctiōn-, stem of dīrēctiō “arranging in line, straightening”; equivalent to direct + -ion

Example Sentences

He is also understood to have been encouraged by discussions over the club's future direction, including plans for the forthcoming summer transfer window.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Instead of relying on constant human direction, they tested a semi-autonomous robot capable of moving from one target to another and collecting data on its own.

From Science Daily • Apr. 8, 2026

Govan acknowledged that below-grade costs were quite large because they went toward 56 seismic base isolators, which can move 5 feet in any direction in the event of an earthquake.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

For decades Americans have told pollsters the country is going in the wrong direction.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

He used his Tribune’s editorial page to rail against the direction the media was headed.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Related Words

• angle
• area
• aspect
• line
• objective
• orientation
• outlook
• path
• trend
• way