1
as in straight
in a direct line or course
we went directly to the site without stopping to pick up extra supplies
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in openly
in an honest and direct manner
the instructor deals with her art students very directly, always telling them the plain truth
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in accurately
in the same words
quoted directly from the encyclopedia
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in immediately
without delay
in case of a medical emergency, do not try to contact your doctor but instead go directly to the hospital
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in shortly
at or within a short time
dinner should be ready directly
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of directly
These arrests are part of a much larger problem: Public records show that more than 700 homeless people are arrested each month on a variety of charges that are, a county official said, often tied to homelessness itself, even when they’re not directly related to camping.
—
Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Federal law bars the president from directly or indirectly ordering the IRS to conduct or terminate an audit or investigation.
—Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2025
Small business owners like Lin say that even if their services aren’t impacted by tariffs recently announced by the Trump administration directly, consumers’ anxiety about the economy could hit their bottom line.
—Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025
Two other top assistants, attorneys overseeing the criminal division and administration, continue to report directly to the city attorney.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for directly
Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Federal law bars the president from directly or indirectly ordering the IRS to conduct or terminate an audit or investigation.
—Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2025
Small business owners like Lin say that even if their services aren’t impacted by tariffs recently announced by the Trump administration directly, consumers’ anxiety about the economy could hit their bottom line.
—Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025
Two other top assistants, attorneys overseeing the criminal division and administration, continue to report directly to the city attorney.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for directly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for directly
Adverb
-
Albeit against an Ipswich side who look primed to go straight back down following the back-to-back promotions which took them from third-tier League One to the top flight, the attacking presence of White opened up the pitch.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2025
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Main Street turns into a different kind of valley, one that funnels them into a line straight toward the four men holding flame throwers, ready to mow them down.—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Jake Locker, drafted by Mike Reinfeldt in 2011, couldn’t stay healthy or throw accurately.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
-
But the full implications of those cuts for the nation’s ability to accurately interpret dynamic changes in the planet’s weather and to predict long-term warming scenarios through its modeling arm in Princeton have not.—
Abrahm Lustgarten,
ProPublica,
24 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
China is under pressure to negotiate a deal whether the tariffs take effect immediately or in three months, Ackman said in a post on X.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2025
-
These models are not immediately replacing user-facing interfaces like ChatGPT but are positioned as tools for developers building applications and services.—
Janakiram MSV,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
The eastbound side from the tunnel to Silverthorne also closed Friday morning but reopened shortly before 7:20 a.m. Both directions of U.S. 6 east of Silverthorne remained closed as of 8:25 a.m.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
18 Apr. 2025
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The report of a kayaker in distress near Willamette Falls came from a 911 caller shortly before 11 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, the sheriff’s office said.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
18 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Thomas had a long and prolific career, right up to his final years, despite his health woes and a famously cranky personality that could curdle soup across the room.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
25 Apr. 2025
-
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, classically minded visitors to Rome looked right past his paintings.—
Jason Farago,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
The Kremlin has been giving the U.S. and Ukraine a run-around on ceasefire proposals, pushing maximalist demands and reneging on agreements while maintaining that Russia sincerely desires peace.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Apr. 2025
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No end-times scenario—however sincerely held—gives us permission to turn away from injustice.—
David Faris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Stemless Insulated Wine Glass Tumbler $35 $29 Amazon After the bedtime battles are (finally) over, this stainless steel wine tumbler is exactly what mom needs to unwind.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Glamour,
15 Apr. 2025
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Espoused values become meaningful only when enacted consistently, especially under pressure, exactly as Harvard has done in this case.—
Dan Pontefract,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Uber was appealing because using an app to instantly summon a car is much easier than chasing down a cab.—
Lila Shroff,
The Atlantic,
21 Apr. 2025
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Panthenol soothes the skin and strengthens the moisture barrier, and the lightly bubbling texture is instantly calming.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Directly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/directly. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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