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. CroftsSynonyms
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 WebLina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024
Myasthenia Gravis is an autoimmune disease that directly affects communication between nerves and voluntary muscles, particularly those that impact the eyes, mouth, throat, and limbs.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2024
People can also donate directly to Jackson online at OneDayForJackson.org.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
Sarah Maslin Nir on the Metro desk did such a great job writing about what’s going on in Buffalo (the total eclipse will pass directly over the city) and how excited everybody is.
—Emmett Lindner, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Angle: Deepfakes are the most convincing when the subject is facing the camera directly.
—Kim Komando, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
Rice's attorney, Royce West, said during an afternoon press conference that Rice has answered every question asked to him by Dallas police, including if he was directly involved.
—Antonio Planas, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Two other minors not directly involved in the shooting were arrested on preliminary resisting charges, police said two days later.
—Jake Allen, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Apr. 2024
But people directly involved in Western security policy say that warnings of the need to improve defenses were overlooked in favour of balancing books in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.
—Luke McGee, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Adverb
Through the initiative, an additional $5 million is being funneled through DonorsChoose, a nonprofit that allows people to donate directly to public school classrooms.
—Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Apr. 2024
Myasthenia Gravis is an autoimmune disease that directly affects communication between nerves and voluntary muscles, particularly those that impact the eyes, mouth, throat, and limbs.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2024
People can also donate directly to Jackson online at OneDayForJackson.org.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
Sarah Maslin Nir on the Metro desk did such a great job writing about what’s going on in Buffalo (the total eclipse will pass directly over the city) and how excited everybody is.
—Emmett Lindner, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Angle: Deepfakes are the most convincing when the subject is facing the camera directly.
—Kim Komando, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024
Rice's attorney, Royce West, said during an afternoon press conference that Rice has answered every question asked to him by Dallas police, including if he was directly involved.
—Antonio Planas, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Two other minors not directly involved in the shooting were arrested on preliminary resisting charges, police said two days later.
—Jake Allen, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Apr. 2024
But people directly involved in Western security policy say that warnings of the need to improve defenses were overlooked in favour of balancing books in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.
—Luke McGee, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'directly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near directly
Cite this Entry
“Directly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/directly. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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