briefly

American

[breef-lee] / ˈbrif li /

adverb

for a short duration.

He stopped over briefly in Chicago.
in a few words.

Let me explain briefly.
in a brief manner; quickly or brusquely.

She nodded briefly and began to speak.

Usage

What does briefly mean? Briefly means for a short amount of time.It can also mean concisely or in a few words, as opposed to in a longer manner, as in State your main argument briefly in a sentence or two.Briefly is the adverb form of the adjective brief, which most commonly means lasting a short time or concise. Because it’s an adverb, briefly is used to describe verbs (actions), as in I briefly considered it, or adjectives, as in The conversation was briefly tense, but then everyone started to get along.Example: It rained briefly, probably only for a few minutes.

Etymology

Origin of briefly

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; brief, -ly

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In footage shared earlier this week, Woods told officers that he was briefly distracted by his phone before he clipped the trailer of a vehicle in front of him.

From Salon • Apr. 2, 2026

For now, February’s retail figures stand as a snapshot of an economy that was briefly gathering strength, before war reared its head.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

Brent crude oil briefly fell below $100 a barrel, heralding a surge in equity markets and a rally in U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Goldhaber and Mazzei briefly dated in high school in Boulder, where they both grew up.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

Occasionally, the clouds receded, and she could briefly see the surface just overhead.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023