Meaning & use
direction
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Meanings
nouncountable
The way something moves, faces, or points.
Grammar: Often used with 'in': 'in the direction of'.
Patterns
- in the direction of something
- change direction
- from all directions
The wind changed direction suddenly.
She looked in the direction of the noise.
The car was traveling in the wrong direction.
nounplural
Instructions about how to do something or where to go.
Grammar: Usually plural: 'follow the directions'. A single piece of advice can be 'a direction'.
Patterns
- follow directions
- give someone directions
- directions to a place
Can you give me directions to the train station?
The recipe's directions are easy to follow.
He gave me clear directions for assembling the shelf.
nouncountable
The general way in which something develops or is managed.
Grammar: Often used with 'in' or 'under': 'in a new direction'.
Patterns
- in a new direction
- take a direction
- under someone's direction
The company is moving in a new direction.
The project took a different direction after the meeting.
Under her direction, the team improved rapidly.
Word forms
| plural | directions |
|---|
Common combinations
- in the direction of
- He walked in the direction of the park.
- change direction
- The conversation suddenly changed direction.
- give directions
- She gave me directions to her house.
- sense of direction
- He has a good sense of direction and never gets lost.
- opposite direction
- They drove off in the opposite direction.
Synonyms and how they differ
- way
- Way is more general and can mean a method or a route; direction specifically refers to the line along which something moves or points.
- course
- Course often suggests a planned path or the path of a ship or plane; direction is more about the line of movement or facing.
- instruction
- Instruction is a more formal word for an order or explanation; directions are practical steps or guidance for doing something.
Word family
Commonly confused: direction or directions?
direction vs directions
As a plural, 'directions' usually means instructions for getting somewhere or doing something; the singular 'direction' is about the way something points or moves.
Practice
The wind changed ______ and the boat began to drift toward the shore.
Choose one answer.
Direction is the correct noun here because it refers to the way the wind moves or points. 'Directions' would mean instructions, 'direct' is a verb or adjective, and 'directly' is an adverb meaning 'in a straight line' or 'immediately'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “direction”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.