direct the discussion

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "direct the discussion" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate that someone should guide or steer a conversation or dialogue in a particular direction. Example: "As the meeting facilitator, my role is to direct the discussion towards our main objectives."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

He contributed intelligently to the group's conversations, and when it was his turn to direct the discussion on a particular paper, he did so with an easy confidence.

Science Magazine

Participants were encouraged to elaborate on their answers and the authors allowed a natural flow of conversation to direct the discussion and explore the students' thoughts, feelings, and experiences in greater depth (Patton 2002).

Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training

We begin this discussion by clarifying the definition of grounded cognition, a controversial term than has been applied to several distinct theories, and then direct the discussion to grounded theories of abstract (e.g., lacking a real-world referent) conceptual processing and representation in the human brain.

Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications

Professor Meyer proceeded to direct the discussion toward the domestic success of both Alibaba and Amazon and their failure to gain success in the overseas market.

Huffington Post

In a post-trial hearing into allegations of juror misconduct, seven other jurors admitted knowing that Hendrix and Langer had used information not available to the other jurors, which they used to direct the discussion and push the holdouts into voting guilty.

Huffington Post

The discussions were open-ended, and allowed respondents to direct the discussion.

BMC Pediatrics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

FS helped with searching the documents, participated in the design and helped to direct the discussions.

BMC Medical Education

Semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted from September 2010 to March 2011, administered by an interviewer to direct the discussions.

BMC Public Health

Sitting on the sidelines also allows managers to focus on what the team is saying, rather than concentrating on directing the discussion.

BBC

The comment was brief, and Spiegel did a good job of directing the discussion back to the Snapchat product, but was a significant public admission of Brown's early involvement.

TechCrunch

Even if, as many scholars think, the dialogue is unfinished and Abelard meant to add a resolution of the dialogue in the form of a final adjudication by someone playing the role of master, it is noteworthy that, unlike in most philosophical dialogues, the magisterial point of view is absent until the end rather than being the one that directs the discussion.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "direct the discussion" when you want to emphasize the act of guiding a conversation towards a specific goal or topic. This is particularly useful in structured settings like meetings, debates, or interviews.

Common error

Avoid using "direct the discussion" in a way that stifles participation or shuts down opposing viewpoints. The goal is to guide, not control, the conversation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "direct the discussion" primarily functions as a verb phrase, where "direct" acts as a transitive verb taking "the discussion" as its direct object. This is supported by Ludwig's examples, showing its use in various contexts to describe guiding a conversation.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

54%

News & Media

36%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "direct the discussion" is a grammatically sound and functionally versatile expression used to describe the act of guiding a conversation. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability across various contexts, particularly in science and news media. While "direct the discussion" is appropriate in formal settings, it should be used judiciously to avoid dominating the conversation. Alternatives such as "guide the conversation" or "steer the dialogue" can provide a more nuanced approach, as per the related phrases analysis. The phrase is most commonly found in scientific and news contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

guide the discussion

Replaces "direct" with a more gentle verb, suggesting a less assertive approach.

facilitate the discussion

Highlights the role of making the discussion easier and more productive.

steer the conversation

Uses "steer" to imply navigation and "conversation" for a more informal tone.

lead the conversation

Suggests taking charge and guiding the flow of talk.

moderate the debate

Suitable for formal settings, "moderate" suggests a balanced and impartial control.

channel the discussion

Suggests guiding the discussion into a specific direction.

manage the dialogue

Implies a more structured and controlled approach to the discussion.

orient the conversation

Focuses on giving a particular focus to the conversation.

focus the debate

Emphasizes narrowing the scope of the debate.

govern the exchange

Presents a more formal and authoritative control over the exchange of ideas.

FAQs

How to use "direct the discussion" in a sentence?

You can use "direct the discussion" to describe the act of guiding a conversation. For example, "The moderator's role is to "direct the discussion" towards the key points of the agenda".

What can I say instead of "direct the discussion"?

You can use alternatives like "guide the conversation", "steer the dialogue", or "moderate the debate" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "direct the discussion" or "lead the discussion"?

Both ""direct the discussion"" and "lead the discussion" are correct. "Direct" implies guiding towards a specific point, while "lead" suggests taking charge of the conversation.

What's the difference between "direct the discussion" and "control the discussion"?

"Direct the discussion" implies guidance and facilitation, ensuring the conversation stays on track, whereas "control the discussion" suggests dominance and suppression of other viewpoints.