shortly

adverb

short·​ly ˈshȯrt-lē 

1

a

: in a few words : briefly

b

: in an abrupt manner

2

a

: in a short time

we will be there shortly

b

: at a short interval

shortly after sunset

Synonyms of shortly

• briefly
• concisely
• in brief
• precisely

Examples of shortly in a Sentence

He left shortly after you did.

“I can't help you right now,” he said shortly.

Recent Examples on the Web

Several crew members walked off that South Carolina set over labor issues, shortly before Majors and co-star JC Kilcoyne fell through an unsecured glass window. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026

Claire was with Robinson shortly before his death and constantly stressed the connection between the icon and his franchise. — Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Family members, including children, arrived shortly afterward. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Negotiations on international sales are underway, with initial deals expected shortly. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing shortly

• shortly after

Rhymes for shortly

• courtly
• portly

Kids Definition

shortly

adverb

short·​ly ˈshȯrt-lē 

1

: in a few words : briefly

2

: in or within a short time : soon

will arrive shortly

shortly after sunset