direly

Examples

• All

• I do, however, believe that there was a time in my life when goals were direly important.

• They've used me an' my pals most direly, and we're in need of a wee pit of assistance!

  Cloud Atlas (2012)

• Any assistance at all would have been welcome and was direly needed now.

  Fiction book (1991)

• That does indeed take some balls or to be direly insane.

  Blog text (17)

• "It revealed, in essence, that what is direly needed is a sense of direction, purpose, and narratives to get somewhere better.

  Blog text (21)

• That plan was DOA because the Democrats won the public debate and made it direly unpopular.

  Blog text (4)

• "At the same time, Zangrando insists that a feminist perspective is "direly needed" in the area of Women's Studies itself.

  Academic text (2000)

• An old leftie woman, here in conservative Medford, bemoaned her fate and direly wished she lived in the hippy enclave of the tony and wealthy Ashland, just south.

  Blog text (3)

• The patient is direly ill and requires immediate medical attention.

• Many students direly seek help to improve their grades before the final exams.

Synonyms

S

seriously

vsdirely

606 1.6

To a very great degree

adds urgent or immediate pressure rather than only gravity

B

badly

vsdirely

456 1.0

To a great degree

adds urgent seriousness or extreme consequence to that degree

D

desperately

vsdirely

366 3.6

In a very urgent way because you feel a strong need or fear

includes seriousness and extreme consequence beyond emotional need

S

severely

vsdirely

272 4.1

In a very bad or serious way

is used when urgency or immediate danger is emphasized rather than general strictness

T

terribly

vsdirely

230 1.4

To a very great degree, often before words like cold or sad

adds a sense of urgent severity rather than general emphasis

H

horribly

vsdirely

126 3.5

In a very bad or shocking way

is more about urgent extreme seriousness than emotional shock

A

awfully

vsdirely

70 3.0

To happen in a very bad or unpleasant way

focuses on extreme urgency or danger rather than mere badness

U

urgently

vsdirely

51 2.1

In a way that needs attention right away

stresses very serious or extreme importance more than mere immediacy

S

sorely

vsdirely

40 5.2

To a great degree

highlights urgent or serious danger beyond simple intensity

G

gravely

vsdirely

34 4.6

In a very serious way that shows something is important

emphasizes immediate danger or urgent need instead of solemnity

W

woefully

vsdirely

27 6.5

In a way that is very bad or not good enough

is used for urgent, extreme situations, not just bad quality

D

dreadfully

vsdirely

18 4.4

Shows that something is very bad, unpleasant, or extreme

places emphasis on urgent extreme seriousness, not only fear

G

grievously

vsdirely

• Formal

6 7.2

In a way that causes great harm, pain, or sadness

focuses more on urgent extreme situations than harm alone

A

acutely

vsdirely

5 5.5

Very strongly felt or noticed

adds the sense of urgent danger or severity to that intensity

D

direfully

vsdirely

• Archaic

9.9

In a way that shows great fear or warns of danger

puts weight on urgent extremity rather than mainly fear

S

straitly

vsdirely

• Archaic

9.9

In great hardship with little food or money

is the more general modern term for extreme seriousness or urgency

Antonyms

L

lightly

116 1.6

Without much care or serious thought

How Serious

direly

1 7.5

desperately

366 3.6

urgently

51 2.1

seriously

∞ 1.6

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology