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
Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 23 July 2025
This may be one of the last chances to buy the phone directly from Google, if that matters to you.
—Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
—Arkansas Online, 22 July 2025
The organization also works directly with universities to find ways to better serve students who are raising kids.
—Parents Editors, Parents, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for directly
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Adverb
My ultimate goal is to help people feel a sense of wellness, and these ingredients directly nourish that.
—Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 23 July 2025
This may be one of the last chances to buy the phone directly from Google, if that matters to you.
—Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
—Arkansas Online, 22 July 2025
The organization also works directly with universities to find ways to better serve students who are raising kids.
—Parents Editors, Parents, 22 July 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 29 Jul. 2025.
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