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 memorandums
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
Information flows upward through layers of reporting, and directives flow downward through chains of command.
—
Lawrence Rosenberg, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
What the report found In response to the allegations in Minnesota, Abbott issued six directives to the state workforce and human services commissions to identify if Texas had a problem with improper payments, specifically with fraud.
—Jess Huff, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
That includes planning, organizing, evaluating and directing the work of the ALI based on legal mandates, changing and emergent training needs, departmental priorities, directives, statutes, and strategic goals.
—Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Wills, life insurance policies, medical directives, and funeral arrangements are often postponed until a crisis strikes.
—Essence, 22 Mar. 2026
In addition, individual countries' civil aviation authorities, including the UAE's GCCA, are obliged to issue detailed directives known as Notam (Notice to Airmen).
—Clare Dight, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2026
Under the second order, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would update the requirements under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act to lessen the regulatory burdens for obtaining a mortgage, among other directives.
—Arkansas Online, 14 Mar. 2026
Shortages of fuel, cooking gas, and electricity, have led to work from home directives, school closures, and conservation requests in countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines, and Pakistan.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
Of those directives, developing players is the clear priority.
—Pj Green
march 13, Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026
Lawrence Rosenberg, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
What the report found In response to the allegations in Minnesota, Abbott issued six directives to the state workforce and human services commissions to identify if Texas had a problem with improper payments, specifically with fraud.
—Jess Huff, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
That includes planning, organizing, evaluating and directing the work of the ALI based on legal mandates, changing and emergent training needs, departmental priorities, directives, statutes, and strategic goals.
—Sacbee.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Wills, life insurance policies, medical directives, and funeral arrangements are often postponed until a crisis strikes.
—Essence, 22 Mar. 2026
In addition, individual countries' civil aviation authorities, including the UAE's GCCA, are obliged to issue detailed directives known as Notam (Notice to Airmen).
—Clare Dight, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2026
Under the second order, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would update the requirements under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act to lessen the regulatory burdens for obtaining a mortgage, among other directives.
—Arkansas Online, 14 Mar. 2026
Shortages of fuel, cooking gas, and electricity, have led to work from home directives, school closures, and conservation requests in countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines, and Pakistan.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
Of those directives, developing players is the clear priority.
—Pj Green
march 13, Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directives
Noun
-
Logic suggested that when these instructions were followed, the parasite should produce similar amounts of each protein.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Repeat 3 to 5 times, or as many times as the instructions recommend.—
Jesse Raub,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
On Sunday, thousands marched in Santiago in protest of Kast’s rollback of dozens of environmental decrees.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The decrees rolled back by Kast’s administration had been signed during the government of left-wing former Chilean leader Gabriel Boric, whom Kast replaced as president earlier this month.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The city has signed memorandums of understanding with other law enforcement entities in accordance with California laws to share information, Cortez said.—
Camryn Dadey,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Sheriff's offices in Laurel, McCracken and Pendleton counties, along with police departments in Hickman, Falmouth and Winchester signed memorandums of agreement with ICE in the first month of the year.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Covid-19 bred doubt about government edicts and skepticism about science, provoking an existential battle for truth.—
Richard Edelman,
Time,
18 Jan. 2026
-
Trump edicts weigh on stocks this week Geopolitical risks have weighed on investor sentiment this week.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But soon after, the city offered different rulings unfavorable to the Eddses as to where the boundaries are and where the couple could develop.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Social media stocks also struggled after two court rulings in child safety cases went against Meta Platforms .—
Matthew J. Belvedere,
CNBC,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The complaint included Colorado State Patrol inspection records showing 19 notices in the years leading up to the crash -- most related to brake problems.—
Karen Morfitt,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Her early death, after an illness that the father initially contrives to ignore then notices just in time to capture her desperation in a fine sketch, leaves Mimí utterly disoriented, yearning only to achieve a level of self-control and detachment that will spare him their tumultuous struggle.—
Tim Parks,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
My standard orders are the chocolate babka (the best in the city); the Jerusalem bagel stick that’s filled with za’atar and feta; and a bag full of rugelach to-go.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
More than a quarter of American men joined orders like the Knights of Pythias, and gyms grew in popularity.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
By the time he gets called, families can be at war over decisions about dad’s house, mom’s assets or grandma’s healthcare.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Their intensity and compression of timescale require curatorial decisions to be shaped by different tempos of attention.—
Manuela Moscoso,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Directives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directives. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
