guide 1 of 2

verb

Definition of guidenext
1
as in to show
to give advice and instruction to (someone) regarding the course or process to be followed the pastry chef guided her through the creation of the wedding cake, showing her how to ice the layers, fashion the elaborate decorations, and assemble the whole shebang

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to supervise
to look after and make decisions about thought the new superintendent would guide the school system well

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to steer
to point out the way for (someone) especially from a position in front would be happy to guide you folks to the historic part of town

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

guide

2 of 2

noun

ˈgīd How to pronounce guide (audio)
as in guard
one that accompanies another for protection, guidance, or as a courtesy followed our guide through the dangerous mountain trails

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb guide contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of guide are engineer, lead, pilot, and steer. While all these words mean "to direct in a course or show the way to be followed," guide implies intimate knowledge of the way and of all its difficulties and dangers.

guided the scouts through the cave

Where would engineer be a reasonable alternative to guide?

The synonyms engineer and guide are sometimes interchangeable, but engineer implies finding ways to avoid or overcome difficulties in achieving an end or carrying out a plan.

engineered his son's election to the governorship

When is it sensible to use lead instead of guide?

Although the words lead and guide have much in common, lead implies showing the way and often keeping those that follow under control and in order.

led his team to victory

When is pilot a more appropriate choice than guide?

In some situations, the words pilot and guide are roughly equivalent. However, pilot suggests guidance over a dangerous or complicated course.

piloted the bill through the Senate

When can steer be used instead of guide?

While in some cases nearly identical to guide, steer implies an ability to keep to a course and stresses the capacity of maneuvering correctly.

steered the ship through a narrow channel

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of guide
Verb
Having someone to help guide the story along is helpful, too. — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 30 July 2026 There’s much less ambiguity in Houston, where returnee Conner Weigman — who guided the Cougars to 10 wins in 2025 — is solidified as the starter. — Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Noun
The guide includes arguments from both supporters and critics of ballot measures. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 29 July 2026 The marina also offers boat slips, bait and tackle, and experienced guides for visitors hoping to reel in a catch of the day. — Gabi De La Rosa, Southern Living, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for guide
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guide
  1. show
  2. supervise
  3. steer
  4. guard
  5. accompany
  6. oversee
  7. lead
  8. companion
Verb
  • As the mastermind behind the Hollywood hair of stars like Stone, Lily Collins, and Zoe Saldaña — and the founder of Rōz Hair — her styling fingerprints decorate awards show red carpets and Instagram feeds alike.
    — Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Video from his dash camera shows the aircraft gliding under a highway sign, missing it by mere feet, before touching down in the empty lanes.
    — Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of show
Verb
  • Operators define intent, establish boundaries and supervise autonomous action across high-stakes systems.
    — Kannan Kothandaraman, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Plaintiff David Figueroa’s lawsuit said he was hired as a retail sales consultant on February 2, 2026, and was supervised by store manager Sully Fuentes Peterson.
    — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 29 July 2026
Definition of supervise
Verb
  • Policy overlap Federal policies enacted in 2022 aimed to steer clean-energy investments toward communities impacted by coal plant closures, yet data centers are inheriting these sites instead.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Warner has spent three years steering free cash flow toward the debt left by the 2022 Discovery merger, and Paramount has been consumed with digesting Skydance.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of steer
Noun
  • Spanish civil guard ships continued searching for bodies in the waters near the stretch of urban beach that tens of thousand of migrants had breached days earlier.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The Sparks reportedly agreed to trade All-Star guard Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday night, ending a brief stint in Los Angeles as the franchise continues its rebuild ahead of the WNBA trade deadline.
    — Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of guard
Verb
  • During official visits, the former would sometimes accompany the princess as one of her ladies-in-waiting, per Tatler.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 29 July 2026
  • The property itself is a short jaunt down to the lake and its accompanying trails.
    — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 29 July 2026
Definition of accompany
Verb
  • The agency oversees Medicaid's low-cost health coverage for the state's lowest-income families.
    — Larry Seward, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Moreno asked the Ohio judge overseeing the case to grant a restraining order that would prohibit Miller from harassing, physically touching, and/or verbally or electronically threatening Moreno’s counsel.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
Definition of oversee
Verb
  • Emerging studies on leading AI models that have been specially trained by scholars to act as virtual Commanders-in-Chief, armed with massive arsenals of atomic arms, have been alarming.
    — Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Her large flat-screen living room television was missing, leading detectives at the time to surmise the killer may have known that footage from the victim’s surveillance cameras could be watched on that TV.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of lead
Noun
  • Lasso’s companion for Biscuits with the Boss sold a portion of the team to the public and heard a pitch from her best friend, PR extraordinaire Keeley Jones (Juno Temple), about a women's team.
    — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
  • But little doubt remains that Betelgeuse B exists, and now the big question is what impact the companion star will have on Betelgeuse’s future transition to supernova.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of companion

Phrases Containing guide

Browse Nearby Words

guidance
guide
guidebook
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Guide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guide. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on guide

Nglish: Translation of guide for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All