Four days after winning the 100 metres, Lyles, twice world 200m champion, ran 19.76 seconds to record the fastest time in Thursday's semi-finals.
Lyles' heat was delayed by 30 minutes after the golf cart transporting him and the other runners from the warmup track to the stadium crashed into another cart.
American Kenny Bednarek, the Olympic silver medallist, ran 19.96 for the second fastest time, edging Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, the 100m silver medallist who crossed in 19.97.
The 26-year-old Lyles is seeking to become the first man to win the sprint double since Usain Bolt in 2015.
American Erriyon Knighton qualified fourth and Britain's 100 metres bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes, who beat John Regis's 30-year-old national record in the 200 this season, was fifth.
Persons:
Noah Lyles, Aleksandra Szmigiel, Andrew Hudson, Hudson, Kenny Bednarek, Letsile, Bednarek, Tebogo, Usain Bolt, Erriyon Knighton, Zharnel Hughes, John Regis's, Andre De Grasse, De Grasse, Aaron Brown, Lori Ewing, Ed Osmond
Organizations:
National Athletics Centre, Rights, Thomson
Locations:
Budapest, Hungary, U.S, Thursday's, Botswana, Tebogo