directly and straight share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. directly means “without deviation”. straight means “successive (without a break)”. straight is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/dɚˈɛktli/
1.adv.without deviation
“the path leads directly to the lake”
2.adv.without anyone or anything intervening
“these two factors are directly related”
3.adv.without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
“he answered immediately”
/ˈstɹeɪt/
1.adj.successive (without a break)
“sick for five straight days”
2.adj.having no deviations
“straight lines”
3.adj.(of hair) having no waves or curls
“her naturally straight hair hung long and silky”
| directly | straight | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /dɚˈɛktli/ | /ˈstɹeɪt/ |
| Said | dur-EKT-lee | strayt |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Letters | 8 | 8 |
| Parts of speech | adverb | adjective, noun, adverb |
| Senses | 4 | 21 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | straight, direct | consecutive |
Full entry for directly · Full entry for straight · More comparisons