Meaning & use
director
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A senior manager who leads a department or the whole of a company or organization.
Grammar: You can say 'a director' or 'the director of ...'; plural 'directors'.
Patterns
- director of something
- a board of directors
- appoint someone (as) director
She was promoted to director of marketing last year.
The board of directors will meet on Friday to discuss the budget.
He is the finance director of a small software firm.
nouncountable
The person who controls the artistic and practical making of a film, play, or television program.
Grammar: Often used with 'film', 'movie', 'theater', or 'TV': a film director.
Patterns
- film director
- the director of a movie
- director's cut
The director asked the actors to try the scene again with more emotion.
A famous director is making a documentary about climate change.
She studied theater and now works as a director in London.
Word forms
| plural | directors |
|---|
Common combinations
- managing director
- The managing director announced a new company strategy.
- board of directors
- The board of directors approved the merger.
- art director
- The art director chose the colors for the magazine cover.
- director of photography
- The director of photography set up the lighting for the night scene.
Synonyms and how they differ
- manager
- Manager is a general word for someone in charge of staff or operations; director is usually more senior and often part of a company's board.
- executive
- Executive refers to a high-level business decision-maker; director can also mean a board member or a creative leader in film.
- filmmaker
- Filmmaker is a broad term for anyone who makes films; director specifically controls the artistic vision of a production.
Word family
- direct verb
- To control or manage a film, play, or activity.
- direction noun
- The act of managing or guiding something, or the way something moves.
- directorate noun
- A group of directors who manage a company or organization.
- directorial adjective
- Relating to a director, especially in film or theater.
Commonly confused: director or manager?
director vs manager
A manager runs day-to-day work and staff; a director is often more senior and may sit on a board. In film, a director is the creative leader, while a producer manages the money and logistics.
Practice
The person who controls the artistic vision of a movie is called the ______.
Choose one answer.
The director is the creative leader of a film. A producer handles financing and organization, a manager runs business operations, and an editor assembles the footage.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “director”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.