Directly
Directly adverb - In an honest and direct manner.
Usage example: the instructor deals with her art students very directly, always telling them the plain truth
Plainly is a synonym for directly in simply topic. In some cases you can use "Plainly" instead an adverb "Directly", when it comes to topics like easily, straightforwardly, honestly, explicitly. popular alternative
Plainly
Plainly adverb - In an honest and direct manner.
Usage example: you'll have to tell your relatives very plainly that you don't like perfume, or they'll keep giving it to you
Directly is a synonym for plainly in simply topic. You can use "Directly" instead an adverb "Plainly", if it concerns topics such as easily. popular alternative
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
Both words in one sentence
- R.E.M.'s lyrics are usually very cryptic, but Everybody Hurts is so plainly expressed that it might as well be being spoken directly to someone who's contemplating suicide.
Cite this Source
Plainly and Directly. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/directly/plainly
Directly & Plainly. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/directly/plainly>.
Plainly or Directly. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/directly/plainly.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "directly" and "plainly" have occurred on timeline