directly
Americanadverb
-
in a direct line, way, or manner; straight.
The path leads directly to the lake.
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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.
The best design for these rivers, then, may be one that could transfer trash directly to shore.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
Higher fuel costs have directly impacted agriculture, from fertiliser production and irrigation to transport.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
One of the clearest shifts emerging from the summit was how directly Beijing is now linking Taiwan to the broader economic relationship with the United States.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
Many upstream suppliers and infrastructure enablers are directly beneficiaries of this spending cycle and offer clearer monetization, the analyst adds.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
Maybe she wouldn’t directly betray my secret, but she was clearly not above trying to corner me into doing it.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
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.
