directly
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adv.without stopping or changing direction; in a straight line.
adv.in a direct manner or straight trajectory without intervening stops or deviations.
Simple“The flight goes directly from London to New York without stopping.”
In context“The missile was programmed to travel directly toward the target, ignoring any secondary heat signatures it encountered along the way.”
Synonymsstraightnon stopAntonymsindirectlycircuitously - 02 B1 Intermediate
adv.without anyone or anything else in between; personally.
adv.without the intervention of a third party or intermediary; by direct means.
Simple“You should speak directly to the manager if you have a problem.”
In context“The CEO chose to address the staff directly rather than releasing a formal statement through the public relations department.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
adv.exactly in a certain place or position.
adv.exactly or precisely in a specified position or relationship.
Simple“The hotel is directly opposite the train station.”
In context“The research findings directly contradict the theories proposed by the previous administration regarding urban development.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
adv.in a little while or very soon.
adv.at a future time that is not distant; soon.
Simple“Don't worry, I will be there directly.”
In context“The doctor finished with his previous patient and told the nurse he would be in to see us directly.”
UsageCommon in Southern American English to mean 'in a little while' rather than 'immediately'.
Teacher's tipIn some dialects, this means 'soon' rather than 'now'; learners should be aware of this regional shift in timing.
- 05 C1 Advanced
conj.at the same time as or immediately after something happens.
conj.functioning as a subordinating conjunction meaning 'as soon as'.
Simple“Directly he arrived, the meeting began.”
In context“Directly the results were announced, the candidate began preparing her acceptance speech for the evening gala.”
UsageUsed to join two clauses, often replacing 'as soon as'.
Synonyms
directly vs direct — Direct describes a path or connection without stops, while directly describes the timing or the exactness of an action.
Usage directly affected · directly at the sun · directly observed
From direct + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.