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
Shane Enete, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Although Rubio didn’t directly cite a reason, his post linked to a story by the conservative Breitbart news site that reported on a talk Rasool gave on a webinar organized by a South African think tank.
—Gerald Imray, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2025
In team sports especially, and interactive individual sports where athletes compete directly against each other (i.e. boxing), being unorthodox can be advantageous in making someone more unpredictable.
—Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
The stress is something that’s difficult for those who haven’t dealt directly with the US immigration system to understand, says Maria, a 38-year-old business owner in Colorado.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for directly
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Adverb
As a business owner, fostering an environment that promotes positivity, whether through workplace culture, networking, or personal mindset, can directly impact financial decision-making and success.
—Shane Enete, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Although Rubio didn’t directly cite a reason, his post linked to a story by the conservative Breitbart news site that reported on a talk Rasool gave on a webinar organized by a South African think tank.
—Gerald Imray, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2025
In team sports especially, and interactive individual sports where athletes compete directly against each other (i.e. boxing), being unorthodox can be advantageous in making someone more unpredictable.
—Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
The stress is something that’s difficult for those who haven’t dealt directly with the US immigration system to understand, says Maria, a 38-year-old business owner in Colorado.
—Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for directly
Cite this Entry
“Directly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/directly. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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