presently

adverb

ˈpre-zᵊnt-lē How to pronounce presently (audio)
Definition of presentlynext
1
as in shortly
at or within a short time I cannot attend to the matter this instant, but I will presently

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in currently
at the present time we are presently waiting in line for our turn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in now
without delay the performance is starting presently

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 presently The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), is presently being investigated for ties to the terrorist rulers of Gaza. — Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026 Whether or not this signal will prove to be genuine is presently impossible to say. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2026 Conaty, who is presently the chief curator of the Whitney Museum of American Art, will assume her new role on October 27. — News Desk, Artforum, 27 Aug. 2026 First and foremost is, roughly, that thou shalt not think about ordinary objects presently whizzing through ordinary space. — Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for presently
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presently
  1. shortly
  2. currently
  3. now
  4. soon
  5. immediately
  6. promptly
  7. instantly
  8. directly
Adverb
  • Samuel, or Samuil in Bulgarian, was a warrior emperor who battled the Byzantine Empire to expand his kingdom but was ultimately defeated and died shortly afterward in 1014.
    — COSTAS KANTOURIS, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • He was taken to a hospital with serious facial injuries but died shortly afterward, according to TASS.
    — Arina Porkhovnik, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of shortly
Adverb
  • The Voice is currently in its milestone 30th season, with Clarkson, Levine, Queen Latifah and Riley Green serving as coaches.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 6 Oct. 2026
  • There are 63 villas (most with sea views, some with beach views, with either one or two bedrooms) and currently 14 private homes.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of currently
Adverb
  • Almost sounds silly now, with the way the team has stumbled and bumbled its way through the first four games.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • An institution built explicitly to neutralize biological catastrophes is now at the center of one.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of now
Adverb
  • The rare show of alignment among fierce rivals was soon countered by comments from Meta’s Zuckerberg and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, both of whom dismissed the slowdown idea.
    — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Now, the full-scale deployment of the ClarosTechUV PFAS destruction system is soon to take place at Daikin’s manufacturing facility in Decatur.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of soon
Adverb
  • His office did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press regarding a possible snap election.
    — JOSEPH WILSON, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Reps for Bryan and Gillette stadium did not immediately return a request for comment.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of immediately
Adverb
  • Contact the treating clinician promptly for worsening pain, spreading redness or warmth, pus-like drainage, fever, extensive blistering, eye symptoms, or a reaction substantially more severe than described.
    — Malana VanTyler, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The company encouraged employees to use Microsoft Teams, but while some replied promptly, others put their own work first.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of promptly
Adverb
  • There’s definitely something about a new TV that instantly makes the whole living room feel upgraded.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 1 Oct. 2026
  • However, redeeming points for a stay doesn’t instantly change your points expiration.
    — Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of instantly
Adverb
  • While the resulting hydrogen can help decarbonize industries that are difficult to electrify directly, its wider adoption has been constrained by its cost compared with hydrogen produced from fossil fuels.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In this region, soft, sandy beaches are abundant, not only directly in front of the resort but on both sides of it, and surfers can find some excellent, challenging breaks.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of directly

Browse Nearby Words

presenting
presently
presentment
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Presently.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presently. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Luddite

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All