adv

directly

dih-REHK-lee

adv

In a straight line or straightforward manner, without detour.

"The road leads directly to the harbor."

Without anyone or anything else involved.

"You should speak directly to the manager about this."

Immediately or very soon.

"I'll be with you directly."

How to Use Directly

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishStraight to the point, without anything in between — or, in older/regional usage, "very soon."

Common pairings

speak directly directly involved directly opposite

more directly comparative, most directly superlative

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The road leads _____ to the harbor.

From "direct" plus the adverb-forming suffix "-ly."

clearly downrightly unambiguously dead precisely slap bang now tout de suite in due course presently shortly

indirectly circuitously later

now kill right eventually dead living sharp live

correctly perfectly indirectly incorrectly

clearly downrightly unambiguously dead precisely slap bang now tout de suite in due course presently shortly indirectly