directly
adverb
Form of direct , adverb of direct.
Simple meaning
In a straightforward way.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
dyrehktleeSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
daɪˈɹɛk(t)li
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adverb
In a straightforward way; without anything intervening; not by secondary, but by direct means.
“I'm sick of asking you to fire him, I'll just do it directly.”
Plainly, without circumlocution or ambiguity; absolutely; in express terms.
“I'm going to tell Natalie directly that I love her.”
In a direct manner; in a straight line or course.
Straightforwardly; honestly.
“He told me directly that he'd cheated on me, and how sorry he was for it.”
Soon; next; when it becomes convenient.
“We'll go to the store directly, but first I need to finish sweeping.”
Exactly; just.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A2 · Elementary
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: In a straightforward way; without anything intervening; not by secondary, but by direct means.
Used this way, directly is a common word with a clearly warm, approving pull. It quietly approves while staying precise.
“I'm sick of asking you to fire him, I'll just do it directly.”
- Emotional tone
- Positive
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Gentle
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Clear and precise
- Usage feel
- Precise and approving
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
How It’s Used
The word’s distinct uses, one example each.
Straightforwardadverb
“I'm sick of asking you to fire him, I'll just do it directly.”
Plainlyadverb
“I'm going to tell Natalie directly that I love her.”
Straightforwardlyadverb
“He told me directly that he'd cheated on me, and how sorry he was for it.”
Soonadverb
“We'll go to the store directly, but first I need to finish sweeping.”
More ways to use directly
- “The path leads directly to the lake.”adverb
- “These two factors are directly related.”adverb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Similar Words, What’s the Difference?
Close in meaning, but not always interchangeable.
Without any intervening time or space.
Without delay or hesitation.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
Someone who controls resources and expenditures.
A pronouncement encouraging or banning some activity.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
Advertising sent directly to prospective customers via the mail.
Marketing via a promotion delivered directly to the individual prospective customer.
A primary where voters directly select the candidates who will run for office.
A mission requiring one force to support another specific force and authorizing it to answer directly the supported force's request for assistance.
A tax paid directly by the person or organization on whom it is levied.
A transmission mechanism in which the infectious agent is transferred directly into the body via touching or biting or kissing or sexual intercourse or by droplets entering the eye or nose…
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: in a straightforward way
Antonyms
Sense: in a straightforward way
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API (CC BY-SA 3.0). Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.