directly
Americanadverb
-
in a direct line, way, or manner; straight.
The path leads directly to the lake.
-
at once; without delay; immediately.
Do that directly.
-
They will be here directly.
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exactly; precisely.
directly opposite the store.
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without intervening space; next in order.
The truck was parked directly behind my car.
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openly or frankly; candidly.
He didn't hesitate to speak directly about his debts.
- Synonyms:
- freely
-
Mathematics. in direct proportion.
conjunction
adverb
-
in a direct manner
-
at once; without delay
-
immediately; just
conjunction
Related Words
See immediately.
Etymology
Origin of directly
First recorded in 1350–1400, directly is from the Middle English word directli. See direct, -ly
Explanation
Directly means "without changing direction." When you head directly for the food at a party, you walk straight to the snack table, without stopping to chat on the way. The adverb directly is useful for talking about something you do in a precise, immediate way, without pausing or getting sidetracked. If you land "go to jail" when you're playing Monopoly, you have to go directly to jail, and if you arrive late at the airport, you'll want to run directly to your gate. In the 1500's, directly meant "in a straight line," from the Latin root word directus, "straight."
Vocabulary lists containing directly
"We Grow Accustomed to the Dark" by Emily Dickinson
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"Water at Work"
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Immediately
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Directly attacking Iran would turn them into open combatants with a larger rival lying just across a narrow body of water.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026
Directly in the center, a slender vertical window — part of the gallery’s architecture — illuminates the otherwise darkened room with a pillar of natural light, further contributing to the ethereal nature of the piece.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2026
Directly imaging these worlds is still extremely difficult.
From Science Daily • Dec. 6, 2025
Directly owned HSAs are funded with after-tax dollars, but you can claim a tax deduction for the amount you contribute.
From Barron's • Oct. 5, 2025
Directly behind him stood Philippe Montaigne, our family’s attorney.
From "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
