directly

Adverb

• without deviation
  • "the path leads directly to the lake"
• without anyone or anything intervening
  • "these two factors are directly related"
  • "he was directly responsible"
  • "measured the physical properties directly"
• without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
• in a forthright manner; candidly or frankly
  • "he didn't answer directly"

Adv

• In a direct manner; in a straight line or course.
• In a straightforward way; without anything intervening; not by secondary but by direct means.
• Plainly, without circumlocution or ambiguity; absolutely; in express terms.
• Exactly; just; at the shortest possible distance.
• Straightforwardly; honestly.
• Immediately.
• Soon; next; in due time; as soon as it becomes convenient.

Conj

• As soon as; immediately (elliptical for directly that/as/when)

Examples

• He drove directly to the office, and didn't stop off at the petrol station.
• He told me directly that he'd cheated on me, and how sorry he was for it.
• I'm going to tell Natalie directly that I love her.
• I'm sick of asking you to fire him; I'll just do it directly.
• It's directly across the street.
• To put it more directly: he's not 'made redundant' but sacked.
• We'll go to the store directly, but first I need to finish sweeping.

Synonyms

at once, direct, flat, forthwith, immediately, instantly, like a shot, now, right away, straight, straight off, straightaway, accurately, betimes, bluntly, clearly, dead, downrightly, exactly, explicitly, frankly, in due course, precisely, presently, shortly, slap bang, soon, straightwise, tout de suite, truthfully, unambiguously, undeviatingly

Antonyms

indirectly, circuitously, later

Anagrams of directly