promptly

adverb

prompt·​ly ˈpräm(p)t-lē 

ˈpräm-plē

1

: in a prompt manner : without delay : very quickly or immediately

I'm going to speak French again, something I learned in school and promptly forgot.

—Deanna Pai

Treatment is promptly resumed until the virus is suppressed again, and then stopped to see if the patient's immune system is able to keep the viral levels in check.

—Joan Stephenson

2

: exactly at a particular time or the correct time

She arrived promptly at 7:00 p.m. as we had agreed.

Synonyms of promptly

• immediately
• instantly
• now

Examples of promptly in a Sentence

shipped the package promptly so that it would arrive on time

Recent Examples on the Web

Spurlock did a voluntary social media mea culpa on his drinking and treatment of women, and he and the film were promptly canceled after that perp walk. —Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 12 Dec. 2025

Removing small amounts frequently and applying de-icing substances promptly are effective preventive measures. —Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Dec. 2025

The key is to acknowledge the gift promptly and personally. —Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2025

Installing them promptly helps block malware, stop data theft and keep your phone safe from new exploits that emerge every month. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1