direction and way share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. direction means “a line leading to a place or point”. way means “how something is done or how it happens”. way is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/dɚˈɛkʃən/
1.n.a line leading to a place or point
“he looked the other direction”
2.n.the spatial relation between something and the course along which it points or moves
“he checked the direction and velocity of the wind”
3.n.a general course along which something has a tendency to develop
“I couldn't follow the direction of his thoughts”
/ˈweɪ/
1.n.how something is done or how it happens
“her dignified manner”
2.n.thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
“a means of control”
3.n.a line leading to a place or point
“he looked the other direction”
| direction | way | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /dɚˈɛkʃən/ | /ˈweɪ/ |
| Said | dur-EK-shuhn | way |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Letters | 9 | 3 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun, adverb |
| Senses | 9 | 13 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | way | manner, mode, style |
Full entry for direction · Full entry for way · More comparisons