Synonyms of shortly

shortly

adverb

ˈshȯrt-lē 

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

• briefly
• concisely
• in brief
• precisely
• summarily
• curtly
• succinctly
• tersely
• laconically
• abruptly
• crisply
• in a nutshell
• in sum
• exactly
• in a word
• pithily
• in short
• compactly
• elliptically
• bluntly
• sententiously
• brusquely
• aphoristically
• bluffly
• monosyllabically

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• diffusely
• wordily
• verbosely
• long-windedly
• redundantly
• repetitiously

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

• soon
• momentarily
• now
• immediately
• promptly
• presently
• before long
• by and by
• directly
• instantly
• forthwith
• instantaneously
• anon
• straightaway
• right now
• right off
• right away
• incontinently
• straightway
• pronto

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shortly

Prosecutors finished their direct examination of Botner shortly before Thursday's lunch break, and the defense cross-examined her Thursday afternoon before she was dismissed from the witness stand. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Sneed released a statement to The Charlotte Observer’s news partner WSOC-TV shortly before the meeting began, outlining her accomplishments as chair. — Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 23 Sep. 2026

He was released in 2023 before shortly being reincarcerated for unknown violations of his probation terms. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2026

According to news organization Agence France Presse, the duo were first apprehended by Louvre security, with local police called to the scene shortly thereafter. — News Desk, Artforum, 23 Sep. 2026