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
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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
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Recent Examples of shortly
Wideout Jackson Coleman is headed to Notre Dame, and shortly after Coleman’s recruiting news broke, offensive lineman Reis Russell pledged to Washington.
—
Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 4 May 2026
The alert was issued shortly after the United States military announced that two merchant ships had transited the Strait of Hormuz.
—ABC News, 4 May 2026
An affidavit by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office accuses Jaylyn Kosmyna, 18, of fleeing from a deputy — a third-degree felony — shortly after midnight Thursday.
—Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
In the videos, reported by the Tribune shortly after the arrest, Steele touted her status as a Cook County politician and repeatedly rejected commands.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shortly
Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 4 May 2026
The alert was issued shortly after the United States military announced that two merchant ships had transited the Strait of Hormuz.
—ABC News, 4 May 2026
An affidavit by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office accuses Jaylyn Kosmyna, 18, of fleeing from a deputy — a third-degree felony — shortly after midnight Thursday.
—Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
In the videos, reported by the Tribune shortly after the arrest, Steele touted her status as a Cook County politician and repeatedly rejected commands.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for shortly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortly
Adverb
-
Mamdani and Charles briefly exchanged words at the 9/11 memorial on April 29 but did not meet privately during the visit.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
-
Dutch public health authorities have been monitoring people who were on a flight that was briefly boarded by a Dutch ship passenger who later died and was confirmed to have hantavirus.—
Iain Sullivan,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Adverb
-
Plus, Towns’s contract would soon be for fifty-three million dollars per year.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
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Gas and oil prices are marginally down amid expectations Iran will respond to Trump’s framework soon.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
10 May 2026
Adverb
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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
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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
-
Attenborough, more precisely his voice, closed out the night.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
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Hantavirus typically spreads through contact with rats and mice—or, more precisely, with their droppings, urine, and saliva.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shortly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortly. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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