# directed

/daɪˈɹɛktɪd/ (US) · /daɪɹˈɛktɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/directed
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. managed or led

verb · CEFR B1

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

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

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

### 2. film/theatre

verb · CEFR B1

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

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

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

### 3. gave instructions

verb · CEFR B1

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

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

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

### 4. aimed at something

adjective · CEFR B2

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

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

- The teacher's comments were directed at the students who hadn't finished their homework.
- The new legislation is directed at reducing carbon emissions in the industrial sector over the next decade.

Usage: Commonly used with the preposition 'at'.

### 5. math/computing

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

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

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

- A directed graph uses arrows to show the relationship between different points.
- The algorithm requires a directed acyclic graph to determine the correct order of operations for the software build.

## Examples

- She directed the visitors to the main office.
- The manager directed the team to focus on the most urgent customer complaints first.
- After years of acting in minor roles, he finally directed a feature film that explored the complexities of rural life during the industrial revolution.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.