Definition

Adjective 1. Managed, guided, or supervised: Having a clear plan, purpose, or authority that controls or guides its course or actions. 2. Having a specific direction or orientation: Aimed, pointed, or moving toward a particular point, target, or goal. Often used in combination with another word (e.g., goal-directed, self-directed).

Usage and Examples

• As a managed or guided action/program:
  • The students benefited from a directed reading program tailored to their needs.
  • The investigation is directed by federal authorities.
• As something with a specific orientation or aim:
  • The satellite sends a directed beam of communication to a ground station.
  • Her criticism was not general but directed at the flawed process.

Advanced Usage

• In combination to form compound adjectives: The word is frequently combined with a noun or adverb to create a descriptive term specifying the nature of the direction.
  • goal-directed behavior
  • a self-directed learner
  • a forward-directed approach

Variants and Related Words

• Direct (verb): To manage, control, or guide; to aim something.
  • She will direct the project. He directed his question to the manager.
• Direction (noun): The course or path along which something moves; guidance or management.
  • The ship changed direction. He works under the direction of the CEO.
• Director (noun): A person who supervises, manages, or guides something.
  • the film director, the company's board of directors

Synonyms

• Guided
• Supervised
• Managed
• Aimed
• Oriented
• Channeled

Antonyms

• Undirected
• Aimless
• Random
• Unsupervised

Related Phrases and Usage Notes

• Directed graph (Digraph): A set of vertices connected by edges, where the edges have a direction (from one vertex to another).
• Directed verdict: In law, a ruling by a judge that takes the decision away from the jury, typically because the evidence is insufficient for any other verdict.
• Usage Note: When used in the sense of "managed," it often describes programs, studies, efforts, or activities. When used in the sense of "oriented," it often describes forces, energies, beams, or attention.

Adjective

1. manageable by a supervising agent
   • a directed program of study
2. (often used in combination) having a specified direction
   • a positively directed vector
   • goal-directed