DIRECTLY Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

directly

adverb

də-ˈrek(t)-lē

Definition of directly

as in straight

in a direct line or course we went directly to the site without stopping to pick up extra supplies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in openly

in an honest and direct manner the instructor deals with her art students very directly, always telling them the plain truth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in accurately

in the same words quoted directly from the encyclopedia

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in immediately

without delay in case of a medical emergency, do not try to contact your doctor but instead go directly to the hospital

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in shortly

at or within a short time dinner should be ready directly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of directly The deep-tissue session, which lasts for 30 minutes, draws directly on Brady’s time spent with his longtime body coach, Alex Guerrero, to shape his recovery in the NFL and beyond, alongside a team of licensed therapists and trainers. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026 Two smaller variants target users who want to run AI agents directly on local hardware. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026 Climate technology company Aircapture is capitalizing on that market with its system that works with companies to extract CO2 on-site directly from open air, for their business use. — Charlotte Hu, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 Working directly with customers, FDEs navigate existing technology systems, security requirements, and organizational obstacles to turn promising AI experiments into applications companies can actually use. — Barbara Booth, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for directly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for directly

Adverb

To get to the bottom of the mystery of the article’s spurious dating, Cade and a team of researchers from around the globe sifted through historic reports and observations of geomagnetic activity to set the record straight.

— Mike McRae October 15, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026
Black men are imprisoned at more than five times the rate of white men, and a lot of commentators move straight from that number to the conclusion that the criminal justice system is racist.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of straight

Adverb

First Proof’s rules require any entrants to be openly available, so OpenAI’s blockbuster new model was excluded.

— Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
Hollywood should be a city where Jewish residents can live openly, safely and proudly, without intimidation, hatred or antisemitism.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of openly

Adverb

Now on their fifth release, All Inside Aquarium, the band has moved beyond—or maybe more accurately, before—all this for an album that (mostly) sounds like it could’ve been released in 1991.

— Brendan Hay, SPIN, 12 Oct. 2026
Regardless of these details, the results rather accurately reproduced the chaos in the brain so many researchers claimed psychedelics caused.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of accurately

Adverb

This came shortly before South Carolina (3-3, 1-3 Southeastern Conference) determined 38-19 was a suitable-enough beating.

— Noah White, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026
Houthi attacks on Thursday and earlier in the week had already prompted a number of carriers to suspend or cancel services to the Saudi capital, shortly before Riyadh is due to host major energy and investment conferences.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of shortly

Adverb

If elected, Whiting wants to dive right in to figure out other ways to expedite permitting, including through the use of AI and other tech.

— Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026
And right in the middle is a cutout whose shape evokes the head of a bald eagle — and that's the name that Krasner gave to this collage.

— Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of right

Adverb

And incumbents can sincerely believe important work remains unfinished.

— Nancy Forster-Holt, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
In a scene at the beginning of Episode 8, actor Siena Agudong, who plays Sue, expresses Flanagan’s belief that sincerely openhearted people like Carrie are met with rejection and seen as alien in a world where cynicism is our default mode.

— Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of sincerely

Browse Nearby Words

directives

directly

direct mail

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“Directly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directly. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of directly

adverb

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