Ethanol,　as　one　of　the　important　bulk　chemicals,　is　widely　used　in　modern　society.　It　can　be　produced　by　fermentation　of　sugar,　petroleum　refining,　or　conversion　of　syngas　(CO/H2).　Among　these　approaches,　conversion　of　syngas　to　ethanol　(STE)　is　the　most　environmentally　friendly　and　economical　process.　Although　considerable　progress　has　been　made　in　STE　conversion,　control　of　CO　activation　and　C-C　growth　remains　a　great　challenge.　This　review　highlights　recent　advances　in　the　routes　and　catalysts　employed　in　STE　technology.　The　catalyst　designs　and　pathway　designs　are　summarized　and　analysed　for　the　direct　and　indirect　STE　routes,　respectively.　In　the　direct　STE　routes　(i.e.,　one-step　synthesis　of　ethanol　from　syngas),　modified　catalysts　of　methanol　synthesis,　modified　catalysts　of　Fischer-Tropsch　synthesis,　Mo-based　catalysts,　noble　metal　catalysts　and　multifunctional　catalysts　are　systematically　reviewed　based　on　their　catalyst　designs.　Further,　in　the　indirect　STE　routes　(i.e.,　multi-step　processes　for　ethanol　synthesis　from　syngas　via　methanol/dimethyl　ether　as　intermediates),　carbonylation　of　methanol/dimethyl　ether　followed　by　hydrogenation,　and　coupling　of　methanol　with　CO　to　form　dimethyl　oxalate　followed　by　hydrogenation,　are　outlined　according　to　their　pathway　designs.　The　goal　of　this　review　is　to　provide　a　comprehensive　perspective　on　STE　technology　and　inspire　the　invention　of　new　catalysts　and　pathway　designs　in　the　near　future.　©　2022　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry