3 syllables: Di, rect, ly. Stress on rect.
dur-EKT-lee
/dɚˈɛktli/
Directly is pronounced dur-EKT-lee (/dɚˈɛktli/). It has three syllables (Di-rect-ly), with the stress on "rect". Directly is an adverb meaning with no intervening steps or detours, or in a straightforward manner. It often functions to indicate immediacy or a direct route, both in time and space, or to connect a result to its cause without intervening factors. In speech, it commonly carries a subtle emphasis on the first or second syllable depending on context and intention.
adverbDirectly is an adverb meaning with no intervening steps or detours, or in a straightforward manner. It often functions to indicate immediacy or a direct route, both in time and space, or to connect a result to its cause without intervening factors. In speech, it commonly carries a subtle emphasis on the first or second syllable depending on context and intention.
"She walked directly to the manager’s office after hearing the news."
"If you don’t call directly, you might miss the correct contact at the gate."
"He spoke directly about the issues, without hedging."
You pronounce it as /dəˈrɛktli/ in many US pronunciations or /dɪˈrekt.li/ in careful speech. The key is the second syllable stress on the second syllable: -RECT- as in 'rect' (/rɛkt/). Lead with a short schwa before the stressed syllable: /də/ or /dɪ/. The ending is a light /li/ or /liː/ with a short, unstressed vowel. Put the primary focus on the second syllable: de-RECT-ly. For a rhythm you can think: de-RECT-ly, drawing out the middle slightly when emphasizing immediacy.
Common errors include misplacing stress on the first syllable (di-RECT-ly vs di-RECT-ly with wrong emphasis) or flattening the vowel in the second syllable to /ɪ/ or /ə/ in all contexts. Another frequent mistake is pronouncing it as /ˈdaɪrɛktli/ with an unnecessary diphthong in the first syllable or swallowing the /r/ too aggressively. Correction: keep the primary stress on the second syllable: /dəˈrɛktli/ and maintain a light, unstressed /lə/ ending. Practice with minimal pairs to fix the vowel and rhythm.
US: Often /dəˈrɛktli/ with a rhotic r and a clear /ˈrɛk/ nucleus; UK: /dɪˈrekt.li/ or /dəˈrekt.li/ with non-rhotic tendencies in some regions and a crisper /t/; AU: /dəˈrektli/ with a more relaxed final /li/ and potential vowel lengthening on the first vowel depending on speed. The main differences are the nucleus vowel in the second syllable and the treatment of the /r/ sound, plus the fluency and linking in connected speech. Across all, the stress remains on the second syllable.
The difficulty lies in balancing the secondary stress and the fast, unstressed ending. The middle /rɛk/ cluster requires precise articulation: a short, sharp /ɹ/ with a clear velar stop /k/ in the middle, while the final /li/ is light and quick. For non-native speakers, coordinating the schwa onset /də/ and the main stress on /rɛk/ without adding extra vowel sounds is challenging. Slow practice helps you anchor the rhythm and gradually speed up.
No, there are no silent letters in the common spelling of directly. The first syllable includes a weakened schwa /ə/ (or /ɪ/ in some accents), the second syllable carries primary stress /ˈrɛkt/, and the final /li/ is unstressed. The potential confusion comes from rapid speech where the /ə/ or /ɪ/ can be reduced so that you hear /dəˈrektli/ or /dɪˈrektli/ depending on the speaker. Being aware of this helps you target the unstressed vowels more consistently.
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Directly comes from the Middle French direc (to direct) via Old French direct, meaning headed straight or directly. The root is Latin dirigere, meaning to bend straight, from dis- (apart) + regere (to guide, rule). In English, 'direct' appeared in the 15th century as a verb and adjective meaning to guide or point out a course, with the adverbial form 'directly' evolving to describe manner or immediacy. Over time, usage broadened from physical direction to logical or causal immediacy (directly related, directly causing), and by the late modern period it also carried nuance of frankness or lack of hedging in speech. The earliest recorded uses show direct as a noun/adjective and directly as an adverb in legal and scholarly texts, solidifying its role as a precise, unmediated descriptor in both movement and reasoning.
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Words that rhyme with "Directly"
-ely sounds
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