shortly

adverb

short·​ly ˈshȯrt-lē 

1

a

: in a few words : briefly

b

: in an abrupt manner

2

a

: in a short time

we will be there shortly

b

: at a short interval

shortly after sunset

Synonyms of shortly

• briefly
• concisely
• in brief
• precisely

Examples of shortly in a Sentence

He left shortly after you did.

“I can't help you right now,” he said shortly.

Recent Examples on the Web

The rock band, which consists of Rick Mitarotonda, Trevor Weekz, Peter Anspach and Cotter Ellis, released a statement shortly after the incident, extending their condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones. — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2026

Then, shortly after that team shrank, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system (FSD) got worse. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 22 June 2026

Manuel made a deal with May shortly after the season ended in part to keep him away from suitors such as North Carolina, which fired Hubert Davis and hired former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone. — Larry Lage, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026

Star shortstop Francisco Lindor (calf) is scheduled to play another rehab game on Tuesday and could be activated shortly thereafter. — James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 22 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing shortly

• shortly after

Rhymes for shortly

• courtly
• portly

Kids Definition

shortly

adverb

short·​ly ˈshȯrt-lē 

1

: in a few words : briefly

2

: in or within a short time : soon

will arrive shortly

shortly after sunset