conduct 1 of 2

verb

kən-ˈdəkt How to pronounce conduct (audio)
Definition of conductnext
1
as in to supervise
to look after and make decisions about the company's president continues to conduct the everyday affairs of the software firm he founded many years ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to direct
to cause to move to a central point or along a restricted pathway the gutter conducts water to the curb, thus protecting the house's basement

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to behave
to manage the actions of (oneself) in a particular way conducted themselves at the party like perfect ladies and gentlemen

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to steer
to point out the way for (someone) especially from a position in front a job conducting tourists through the historical museum

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to transmit
to cause (something) to pass from one to another a material that conducts heat quite efficiently

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

conduct

2 of 2

noun

ˈkän-(ˌ)dəkt How to pronounce conduct (audio)
1
as in management
the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something the President was happy to leave the conduct of foreign affairs to his secretary of state

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in behavior
the way or manner in which one conducts oneself a child who has often been scolded for poor conduct

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word conduct distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of conduct are control, direct, and manage. While all these words mean "to use one's powers to lead, guide, or dominate," conduct implies taking responsibility for the acts and achievements of a group.

conducted negotiations

In what contexts can control take the place of conduct?

The meanings of control and conduct largely overlap; however, control implies a regulating or restraining in order to keep within bounds or on a course.

controlling his appetite

When might direct be a better fit than conduct?

While in some cases nearly identical to conduct, direct implies constant guiding and regulating so as to achieve smooth operation.

directs the store's day-to-day business

When can manage be used instead of conduct?

The words manage and conduct can be used in similar contexts, but manage implies direct handling and manipulating or maneuvering toward a desired result.

manages a meat market

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 conduct
Verb
One contractor reported hearing rumors of underwater wreckage — while another claimed to have personally spotted wreckage while conducting survey work at the site. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026 In preparation for the Viking mission to Mars in 1975-76, several microbiologists conducted research in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, convinced that this region of Antarctica closely resembled Mars. — Daniella McCahey, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026
Noun
The Fever said security spoke with the fan and witnesses, found no code-of-conduct violation and didn't remove the fan from the arena. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026 An outside investigation commissioned by the board found no evidence of improper conduct by Hill but identified concerns about leadership and district operations. — Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conduct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conduct
  1. supervise
  2. direct
  3. behave
  4. steer
  5. transmit
  6. management
  7. behavior
  8. oversee
Verb
  • An engineer may have no human direct reports but still direct five agents, and a finance professional may supervise an agentic workflow.
    — Keith Ferrazzi, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • At least three employees supervised by Perera have filed bullying complaints with DIR’s Office of Equity and Risk.
    — Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of supervise
Verb
  • Five films are directed by filmmakers from outside the Baltic countries, with Baltic talent and expertise playing significant roles in their production.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
  • People should still be involved, but their time can be directed where it’s needed, affecting cost, speed, accuracy and service quality.
    — Ozan Ozerk, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of direct
Verb
  • Their primary role has been to assess AI model capabilities and risks and to flag instances where the technology behaves badly.
    — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The snow pile in the parking lot Heat can behave in surprising ways.
    — Moones Alamooti, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of behave
Verb
  • Beijing has also steered state banks to provide financing to priority industries like electric vehicles, robotics, artificial intelligence and renewable energy.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • While the system can accelerate, brake and steer, the human driver must supervise it at all times and remains responsible.
    — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of steer
Verb
  • Power is transmitted via an eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission for both rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) models.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026
  • According to the news release, rabies is most commonly transmitted through the bite or scratch of an infected animal, or when saliva from a rabid animal comes in contact with an open wound or a mammal's eyes, nose or mouth.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of transmit
Noun
  • While some financial advisors have asset minimums, others may charge one-time, hourly or monthly fees rather than a percentage for assets under management.
    — Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • That’s because bank stocks are particularly difficult to forecast, given that their performance depends heavily on macro factors rather than information that management might have about the company.
    — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of management
Noun
  • For Lev, assessing what participants take home means asking about their behavior.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Responding to Gruden’s racist, homophobic and misogynistic messages, El-Sayed recalled experiencing racist taunting in football locker rooms and argued that coaches needed to address the culture behind such behavior.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of behavior
Verb
  • The list of senior executives did not answer the question of who would oversee the old Paramount and Warner Bros.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Florida has the nation’s busiest death chamber DeSantis, who leaves office in January, oversaw 19 executions in 2025, more than any other Florida governor in a single year since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
    — David Fischer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of oversee

Browse Nearby Words

conducive
conduct
conducted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Conduct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conduct. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on conduct

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about conduct

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