directly

adverb

di·rect·ly | \də-ˈrek(t)-lē,

dī-, in sense 2 especially də-ˈrek-lē or ˈdrek-lē\

Definition of directly

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : 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

2a : without delay : immediately the second game followed directly after the first

b : in a little while : shortly we'll be leaving directly

directly

conjunction

di·rect·ly | \də-ˈrek(t)-lē,

dī-;ˈdrek-lē\

Definition of directly (Entry 2 of 2)

chiefly British

: immediately after : as soon as directly I received it I rang up the shipping company— F. W. Crofts

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about directly

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Synonyms & Antonyms for directly

Synonyms: Adverb

exactly, verbatim, word for word

Antonyms: Adverb

Examples 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: Adverb

So users may rely on Google’s Tensor Processing Unit as part of its Google Cloud service, but the company won’t sell it directly. — Andy Patrizio, Ars Technica, "The AI revolution has spawned a new chips arms race," 9 July 2018 Together the community sponsors have funded $697,000 over six years and the county funded $50,000; revenue from memberships goes directly to Bewegen. — Kate Magill, Howard County Times, "County hopes to double use of bikeshare program in second year," 9 July 2018 For peak relaxation and enjoyment, Cruise Maven suggests booking a room that isn't directly above or below any of the ship's entertainment areas. — Brittney Morgan, House Beautiful, "11 Things You Should Know Before Booking A Cruise This Summer," 6 July 2018 Under the council's rules, any discretionary spending below $5,000 that is approved by its appropriations committee goes directly to the Office of Management & Budget for review. — Phillip M. Bailey, The Courier-Journal, "Investigation continues into Derby spending by Metro Council Democrat," 21 June 2018 Ordinary Californians feel the impact most directly at the pump. — Dale Kasler, sacbee, "California beats its 2020 goals for cutting greenhouse gases," 11 July 2018 The administration didn’t directly respond to a request for comment but instead authorized Bell to speak on behalf of the city. — Katrease Stafford, Detroit Free Press, "Concerns raised about contractors sitting on Detroit wrecking board," 9 July 2018 This is the work that will more directly impact flooding in the area around the boat show. — Talia Richman, baltimoresun.com, "Annapolis Boat Show will 'rise above' after flooding during last year's event," 7 July 2018 Whatever else is printed about us that is not directly from us, is someone else’s fictional narrative. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Jennifer Aniston Is Reportedly Dating Again—And She Has Two Suitors," 3 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'directly.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near directly

direct lighting

direct loss by fire

directly proportional

direct marketing

Statistics for directly

Last Updated

12 Oct 2018

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for directly

The first known use of directly was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for directly

directly

adverb

English Language Learners Definition of directly

(Entry 1 of 2)

: in a direct way

: in a straight or direct line from a particular position

: without delay

directly

conjunction

English Language Learners Definition of directly (Entry 2 of 2)

: immediately after : as soon as

See the full definition for directly in the English Language Learners Dictionary

directly

adverb

di·rect·ly | \də-ˈrekt-lē,

dī-\

Kids Definition of directly

1 : in a straight course or line She sits directly across from me. The road runs directly north.

2 : straight to or from a source : without interference I spoke directly to the principal.

3 : immediately sense 2 She began directly to work.

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