What does "directed" mean?

1. (managed or led) to have managed or controlled a project, business, or group of people. 2. (film/theatre) to have been the person in charge of making a film, play, or television show. 3. (gave instructions) to have told someone how to get somewhere or what to do. 4. (aimed at something) aimed or pointed toward a specific person, place, or goal. 5. (math/computing) having a specific direction, like a line with an arrow on a map.

How do you use "directed"?

Transitive verb taking a direct object. Often used in the passive voice when referring to the creator of a work. Often takes an object followed by a prepositional phrase of direction. Commonly used with the preposition 'at'.

directed

v. · adj.

US //daɪˈɹɛktɪd// UK //daɪɹˈɛktɪd// di·rect·ed

1 managed or led (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to have managed or controlled a project, business, or group of people.

to have managed, controlled, or overseen the operations of an organisation or project.

Example

She directed the marketing department for five years before being promoted.

Example

The CEO directed the restructuring process with a focus on long-term sustainability rather than immediate quarterly gains.

Usage

Transitive verb taking a direct object.
- followed
2 film/theatre (v.)
B1 Intermediate Theatre

to have been the person in charge of making a film, play, or television show.

to have exercised creative and technical control over the production of a film, play, or broadcast.

Example

He directed several award-winning documentaries about wildlife in Africa.

Example

The play was directed by a newcomer who chose to set the Shakespearean tragedy in a modern corporate office.

Usage

Often used in the passive voice when referring to the creator of a work.
- produced
- staged

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3 gave instructions (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to have told someone how to get somewhere or what to do.

to have provided guidance, instructions, or physical orientation to a person or group.

Example

The police officer directed the traffic away from the scene of the accident.

Example

The receptionist directed the visitors toward the conference room at the end of the hallway.

Usage

Often takes an object followed by a prepositional phrase of direction.
- misled
4 aimed at something (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

aimed or pointed toward a specific person, place, or goal.

specifically aimed, addressed, or oriented toward a particular target or objective.

Example

The teacher's comments were directed at the students who hadn't finished their homework.

Example

The new legislation is directed at reducing carbon emissions in the industrial sector over the next decade.

Usage

Commonly used with the preposition 'at'.
- aimless
- random
5 math/computing (adj.)
C1 Advanced Technical Math

having a specific direction, like a line with an arrow on a map.

possessing a specified direction or orientation; in graph theory, having edges that go only one way.

Example

A directed graph uses arrows to show the relationship between different points.

Example

The algorithm requires a directed acyclic graph to determine the correct order of operations for the software build.
- oriented
- ordered
- undirected