1
as in instructions
a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned
the company president regularly issues directives intended for all staff members
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decrees
an order publicly issued by an authority
a directive issued by the archbishop that is to be read during Sunday services at every parish
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in memoranda
a written communication giving information or directions
a growing stack of unread directives from the company's senior vice president
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of directives
Many tech companies thrive with top-down leadership and linear management—clear directives from the founder to executors, without middle layers slowing or distorting the vision.
—
Jonathan Low, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Regarding the centers, Ohio State has said the closures were tied to Trump’s anti-DEI directives.
—Chris Quintana, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
But many social-media platforms have reportedly repeatedly rejected directives from the Nepal government to register with the country’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
While the current federal administration has made headlines for issuing executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the federal government, these directives do not apply to private companies and their engagements in the private sector.
—Essence, 9 Sep. 2025
Disregarding these directives can result in damage to the upholstery fabric or dye.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025
Colorado State University previously announced staffing and policy changes to comply with federal DEI directives.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
DeSantis has long styled the Sunshine State as a counterweight to federal public health directives.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Sep. 2025
Dueling lawsuits The opposing directives in West Virginia put schools at odds with parents who had been asking for religious exemptions and the state’s Department of Health, which had begun issuing religious exemptions as directed by the governor.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Jonathan Low, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Regarding the centers, Ohio State has said the closures were tied to Trump’s anti-DEI directives.
—Chris Quintana, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
But many social-media platforms have reportedly repeatedly rejected directives from the Nepal government to register with the country’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
While the current federal administration has made headlines for issuing executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the federal government, these directives do not apply to private companies and their engagements in the private sector.
—Essence, 9 Sep. 2025
Disregarding these directives can result in damage to the upholstery fabric or dye.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025
Colorado State University previously announced staffing and policy changes to comply with federal DEI directives.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
DeSantis has long styled the Sunshine State as a counterweight to federal public health directives.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Sep. 2025
Dueling lawsuits The opposing directives in West Virginia put schools at odds with parents who had been asking for religious exemptions and the state’s Department of Health, which had begun issuing religious exemptions as directed by the governor.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directives
Noun
-
Do that by using a clean rag or paper towel treated with a small amount of commercial cleaning or bleach solution, and rub them for as long as directed by the manufacturer's instructions.—
Audrey Bruno,
SELF,
10 Sep. 2025
-
In recent incidents, Google's Gemini CLI destroyed user files while attempting to reorganize them, and Replit's AI coding service deleted a production database despite explicit instructions not to modify code.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In 1866, in the ancient city of Tanis, archaeologists uncovered two stone tablets with decrees from King Ptolemy III Euergetes upon the death of his daughter It was meant to be sent out to Egypt’s major temples.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
-
As the decrees were lifted, most districts went back to allowing communities and housing patterns to dictate the racial makeup of schools.—
Krista Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Ever since, as the Taliban returned to power, once again issuing edicts to suppress women and girls, the clinic and its 34-year-old midwife Atifa have continued to provide a lifeline for mothers and young children.—
Elise Blanchard,
Time,
21 Aug. 2025
-
One of the fundamental edicts of the [original Naked Gun creators] Zucker Brothers was you played against the comedy.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
What emerges from these rulings is a pattern.—
Aleksandra Bal,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The allegiance transfer rulings were last changed by the sport’s governing body in 2018, when the minimum three-year waiting period (to compete internationally) was introduced.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
As of mid-June, ICE had 649 memorandums of agreement covering law-enforcement agencies in 40 states.—
Matt Alderton,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Not only that, as CEI’s work on agency guidance documents, policy statements memoranda and other forms of regulatory dark matter attests, conventional notice-and-comment regulation increasingly comes nowhere close to capturing government intervention in the economy.—
Clyde Wayne Crews Jr,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The phones will be available for pre-orders at the end of the week, and hitting shelves in 10 days.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Those orders jumped from $138 billion to $455 billion and are a testament to growing demand for Artificial Intelligence demand in the cloud services sector.—
JJ Kinahan,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, tax framework complexity considers aspects of how the tax laws are being enforced, such as tax law enactment, tax guidance, tax payment and filing systems, tax audits, and how corporations can appeal tax decisions.—
Nathan Goldman,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
That is difficult for many people who make critical decisions for the people.—
Richard B. Williams,
Denver Post,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Insurers have sent out notices in nearly every state, with some proposing premium increases of as much as 50%.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Sep. 2025
-
In 2022, multiple schools received anonymous bomb threats, causing shelter-in-place notices or evacuations of the majority-Black institutions.—
Tesfaye Negussie,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Directives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directives. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share