briefly

adverb

brief·​ly ˈbrē-flē 

1

a

: in a brief way

briefly mentioned

b

: in brief

the food, briefly, was awful

2

: for a short time

briefly married

Synonyms of briefly

• concisely
• shortly

Examples of briefly in a Sentence

Several important issues are only briefly mentioned.

Please briefly describe your experience.

We briefly considered canceling the trip.

Recent Examples on the Web

The result of these changes made Astra briefly appear significantly better at math than those two models. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026

The Justice Department’s antitrust division was briefly instructed to pause cooperation with Canadian authorities this week, as trade tensions continue to escalate between the two countries. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026

Hundreds of masked anti-immigration demonstrators in black paramilitary gear blocked roads into the Port of Dover, halting traffic, stranding travelers and freight, and briefly shutting access to Britain’s busiest ferry hub. — Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026

Pretty much everyone on stage at the Metropolitan Opera in New York must audition — even the snake who will briefly take center stage in an upcoming adaptation of a Mozart classic. — ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for briefly

• chiefly