promptly

adverb

prompt·​ly ˈpräm(p)t-lē How to pronounce promptly (audio)
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.

Examples of promptly in a Sentence

shipped the package promptly so that it would arrive on time
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Spokesperson Chris Cannon said the agency responded promptly after being alerted by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, dispatching an investigator and the assistant commissioner to the scene. Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025 When Dart didn’t promptly exit the tent, Daboll went over and poked his head inside, although coaches are forbidden from entering the tent. Mike Jones, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 Another investigation was launched by the agency in August looking into why Tesla apparently has not been reporting crashes promptly as required. CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025 High school student and restaurant worker Madison Brydels promptly acted when a customer was choking, and the encounter was caught on video. Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for promptly

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of promptly was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Promptly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/promptly. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

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