directly

directly — adverb

1. happening with no other person, thing, or step coming between — for example, goi

1.adverbB1
Definition

happening with no other person, thing, or step coming between — for example, going from one place to another without stopping, or dealing with someone rather than through another person.

Example

Ayana sent the application directly to the university admissions office.

directly to [person/place] — no intermediary

We flew directly from Taipei to San Francisco without any stopovers.

travel route: directly from [place A] to [place B]

Common collocations
  • go directly
  • send directly
  • deal directly
  • report directly
  • directly to
  • directly from
Synonyms
  • straight

    more informal; used mainly for physical movement ('go straight home')

  • immediately

    can overlap but focuses on time rather than the absence of intermediaries

Antonyms
  • indirectly

    through an intermediary or by a roundabout route

  • through

    as in 'through an agent' or 'via someone else'

Grammar Patterns

directly + [preposition]

directly + [past participle]

Usage Note

This is the most common sense of 'directly'. It works with verbs of movement (go, come, fly), communication (speak, send, report), and physical placement.

Common Mistakes

I contacted to him directly.
I contacted him directly.
'contact' is a transitive verb and does not take 'to'.
She went directly at the store.
She went directly to the store.
'directly' pairs with 'to', not 'at', for destinations.

2. saying what you think in an open, truthful way, without trying to soften your wo

2.adverbB2
Definition

saying what you think in an open, truthful way, without trying to soften your words — even if what you say might upset someone.

Example

Indra asked her manager directly whether she would receive a pay raise.

ask + directly + [reported question]

The nurse told Heather directly that the test results showed nothing serious.

tell + directly + [that-clause]

Common collocations
  • ask directly
  • speak directly (about)
  • tell directly
  • address directly
  • directly honest
Synonyms
  • frankly

    nearly identical; 'frankly' is often used as a sentence adverb ('Frankly, I was shocked')

  • openly

    stresses a lack of secrecy rather than blunt honesty

  • candidly

    slightly more formal, suggesting honest disclosure

Antonyms
  • indirectly

    hinting or implying rather than stating plainly

  • evasively

    avoiding giving a direct answer

Grammar Patterns

speak/tell/ask + directly + [about something]

directly + [clause] (as a sentence adverb)

Usage Note

Often used for giving opinions or unpleasant feedback. It suggests courage rather than rudeness — the speaker is being honest, not harsh.

Common Mistakes

He spoke me directly about the problem.
He spoke to me directly about the problem.
'speak' requires 'to' before the person you are addressing.
Directly, your work is not good enough.' (sentence adverb position is rare for this sense)
I am telling you directly that your work is not good enough.
Better to pair 'directly' with a verb.

3. without any wait or pause; at once — used when one action happens in the same in

3.adverbB1
Definition

without any wait or pause; at once — used when one action happens in the same instant as something else or without a gap.

Example

When the fire alarm went off, everyone left the building directly.

action without delay: [event] + directly

Lukas called the emergency services directly after he saw the car crash.

temporal sequence: directly after [noun phrase]

Common collocations
  • respond directly
  • act directly
  • directly after
  • work directly
Synonyms
  • immediately

    identical in meaning; more common in both BrE and AmE

  • instantly

    stresses an even shorter gap — the action happens in an instant

  • right away

    informal, common in spoken English

Antonyms
  • eventually

    suggests a delay or a longer gap

  • later

    at some point after, not immediately

Grammar Patterns

directly + [past simple verb] (past action)

directly + after + [clause]

Common Mistakes

I directly went home after the party.' (non-standard word order)
I went directly home after the party.
In standard English, 'directly' usually follows the main verb, not the subject.

4. after a very short amount of time; in the near future — often used to say that s

4.adverbB2
Definition

after a very short amount of time; in the near future — often used to say that something is about to happen.

Example

The train will arrive directly, so please stand behind the yellow line.

future event: will + [verb] + directly

Wei promised to join us directly after finishing his phone call.

temporal sequence: directly after [gerund]

Common collocations
  • directly after
  • arrive directly
  • be here directly
  • be with you directly
Synonyms
  • shortly

    common in both British and American English; less ambiguous

  • presently

    more formal and slightly dated

  • in a moment

    colloquial phrase, especially in British English

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

directly + [verb] (future event)

directly + after/before + [noun]

Usage Note

This sense is most common in British English. In American English, 'directly' is rarely used to mean 'soon' — speakers prefer 'shortly' or 'in a moment'.

Common Mistakes

I will be there directly.' (ambiguous — could mean 'soon' or 'immediately')
I will be there shortly.
To avoid confusion, use 'shortly' in American English or add context like 'directly after work'.

directly — conjunction

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

For the meaning 'without an intermediary', 'directly' is the most precise and versatile word — it works with movement (fly directly to), communication (email directly to), and hierarchy (report directly to). 'Straight' is more informal and mainly describes physical paths without deviation: 'go straight home', 'walk straight ahead'. 'Immediately' overlaps with 'directly' in some contexts ('immediately after the meeting') but focuses on time rather than the absence of intermediaries — you would not say 'I reported immediately to my boss' to mean 'without anyone in between'. 'Right' is informal and often pairs with prepositions: 'right across the street', 'right through the building'. For learners, 'directly' is the safest choice in formal or professional contexts.

directly ↗straight ↗immediately ↗right ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • almost directly
  • quite directly
  • more directly

Phrases

  • deal directly with
  • report directly to
  • go directly to
  • speak directly to
  • respond directly to
  • lead directly to

Prepositions

  • directly from
  • directly to
  • directly after
  • directly through
  • directly into
  • directly opposite
  • directly above
  • directly below

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'directly' comes from Latin 'directus', meaning 'straight' or 'set straight', which is the past participle of 'dirigere' ('to set straight, guide'). It passed through Old French 'direct' into Middle English as 'direct' + the adverb suffix '-ly'. The sense meaning 'honestly/frankly' developed in the 16th century. The use of 'directly' as a conjunction meaning 'as soon as' emerged in 19th-century British English, following a pattern where some adverbs of time ('immediately', 'instantly') began to be used to link clauses.