di·rect·ly
də-ˈrek(t)-lē 
dī-
in sense 2 especially də-ˈrek-lē
or ˈdrek-lē
1
a
: in a direct manner
directly relevant
the road runs directly east and west
b
: in immediate physical contact
c
: in the manner of direct variation
2
a
: without delay : immediately
the second game followed directly after the first
b
: in a little while : shortly
we'll be leaving directly
di·rect·ly
də-ˈrek(t)-lē
dī-;
ˈdrek-lē
chiefly British
: immediately after : as soon as
Directly I received it I rang up the shipping company …—
F. W. Crofts
F. W. CroftsExamples of directly in a Sentence
Adverb
He refused to answer the question directly.
She said that she wanted to speak to you directly.
The package will be sent directly to your home.
The two accidents are directly related.
Thousands of people were directly affected by the disaster.
Antonyms are words that are directly opposite in meaning.
We parked directly behind the store.
He sat directly across from me at the dinner table.
Conjunction
I came directly I received your message.
Recent Examples on the Web
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 June 2026
The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 12 June 2026
The Justice Department also noted that Ereg's wife, Najmo Ahmed, who worked at the business and received payroll payments directly from Feeding Our Future, pleaded guilty last year to money laundering charges and is scheduled to be sentenced later this month.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2026
These messages are almost always accompanied by a link that will lead you directly to a fraudulent website or checkout page.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for directly
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Adverb
The hotel's Ajax Tavern, directly facing the mountain, has indoor and outdoor seating and is a great spot for a drink or hot bowl of soup (or, why not, a Wagyu cheeseburger with truffle fries) while watching people make their final runs down at the end of the day.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 June 2026
The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 12 June 2026
The Justice Department also noted that Ereg's wife, Najmo Ahmed, who worked at the business and received payroll payments directly from Feeding Our Future, pleaded guilty last year to money laundering charges and is scheduled to be sentenced later this month.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2026
These messages are almost always accompanied by a link that will lead you directly to a fraudulent website or checkout page.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for directly
Cite this Entry
“Directly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/directly. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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