1
as in briefly
in a few words
the sudden closing of the restaurant was announced only with a shortly worded sign: "Out of Business"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in soon
at or within a short time
the meeting will begin shortly, so don't go too far away to find a bathroom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of shortly
The terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed, though Meiga agreed to the deal shortly after April’s NFL Draft.
—
Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 8 June 2026
After crews completed a systems check following each delay, the attraction was reopened to guests shortly after.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2026
Her comments came shortly before the USDA confirmed two additional cases of screwworm discovered in Texas — one in a calf in La Salle County and another in a dog in Andrews County — bringing the total cases to four.
—Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 8 June 2026
But a Tribune investigation has found eight of Sayeg’s patients — all of them women of color — died in a seven-year span shortly after their surgeries at 63 Laser & Skin Clinic, located in a predominantly Latino neighborhood on the city’s Southwest Side.
—Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for shortly
Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 8 June 2026
After crews completed a systems check following each delay, the attraction was reopened to guests shortly after.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2026
Her comments came shortly before the USDA confirmed two additional cases of screwworm discovered in Texas — one in a calf in La Salle County and another in a dog in Andrews County — bringing the total cases to four.
—Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 8 June 2026
But a Tribune investigation has found eight of Sayeg’s patients — all of them women of color — died in a seven-year span shortly after their surgeries at 63 Laser & Skin Clinic, located in a predominantly Latino neighborhood on the city’s Southwest Side.
—Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for shortly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortly
Adverb
-
Banks briefly departed the series for its penultimate 2016-2017 season, when British pop singer Rita Ora hosted.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
-
Three months free of Amazon Music was briefly bundled with the Galaxy S26 series, but that has disappeared too.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Adverb
-
The deeper the water, the sooner a vehicle loses traction on the road.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
14 June 2026
-
The only time Team USA managed to put the ball in the net sooner was in 2002 against Portugal (29th minute) and in a 1930 meeting with Paraguay (15th minute).—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
Adverb
-
Knowing what to do if a power surge damages your appliances and electronics is essential for protecting your home, preventing future issues, and reporting damages clearly and concisely to your insurance company and the local electric company.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Keep it short and sweet Responding concisely and confidently will assuage any lingering concerns an employer might have about your work history, McGoff says.—
Sophie Caldwell,
CNBC,
1 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Musk’s pitch placing SpaceX at the heart of a science-fiction vision of the future, with data centers in space and robot factories on the moon, came at precisely the right time to capitalize on the surging appetite for investments related to the AI boom.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
12 June 2026
-
The city priced its jerseys at $50 precisely so regular New Yorkers could afford them, which is the same instinct behind the $50 ticket lottery and the free Great Lawn watch party.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shortly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortly. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
