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
Examples 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 Associated Press and CNN called the race for Wied shortly before 11 p.m. local time, though Lyerly's campaign told the Journal Sentinel shortly after 10:30 p.m. that Lyerly had not yet conceded.
—
Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024
The nonstop flight will be shortly over four hours long.
—Laura Hall, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2024
The Mountain Fire was reported shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, during a red-flag warning that covered much of coastal California.
—Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
With 80% of the votes counted shortly before 11 p.m., Braun stood at 54% of the vote, compared to McCormick's 41% and Libertarian Donald Rainwater's 5%.
—Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shortly 
Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024
The nonstop flight will be shortly over four hours long.
—Laura Hall, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2024
The Mountain Fire was reported shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, during a red-flag warning that covered much of coastal California.
—Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
With 80% of the votes counted shortly before 11 p.m., Braun stood at 54% of the vote, compared to McCormick's 41% and Libertarian Donald Rainwater's 5%.
—Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for shortly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortly
Adverb
-
Early risers in the eastern U.S. and Canada can catch the Moon passing in front of Spica this morning, briefly hiding the bright star from view.John Tufts, The Courier-Journal, 22 Nov. 2024
-
Whitaker worked in the Justice Department during Trump's first presidential term, initially as chief of staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and then briefly as acting attorney general.Brittney Melton, NPR, 21 Nov. 2024
Adverb
-
Everyone's favorite annual dose of Christmas cheer is coming to our television screens soon.Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024
-
Felix the Cat was the first to take to the skies, and he was soon joined by a menagerie of characters, from Mickey Mouse to Popeye.Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2024
Adverb
-
And now, Democrats are forced to grapple with precisely how to respond.Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 22 Nov. 2024
-
These leaders tend to demonstrate greater resilience through hardship precisely because their driving force transcends individual success.Jennifer Kamara, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near shortly
Cite this Entry
“Shortly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortly. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share