SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
directive
noun
An authoritative instruction that guides an action or procedure.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Authoritative instruction
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topA guideline may permit discretion; a directive usually instructs a specific course of action.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See directive in use
A new directive required all exhibition labels to use larger print.
A new directive from the coordinator assigned one person to check the room afterward.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license