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.
-
exactly; precisely.
directly opposite the store.
-
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
Synonym Usage
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.
One of their studies tracked mountain climbers and found that being totally absorbed in a demanding task well done correlated directly with happiness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Dark matter cannot be seen directly, but its gravity appears to shape galaxies and large cosmic structures.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026
In emails, Marc Treitler, Conservice’s general counsel and president of sustainability, said the company helps all parties save on utilities by auditing the bills it receives directly from providers before passing charges on to renters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Also, would the 2% beneficiary be able to receive the full amount directly from the bank?
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026
She walks directly over our heads and on to the shore.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
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.
