adverb
-
in a short time; soon
-
in a few words; briefly
-
in a curt or rude manner
Etymology
Origin of shortly
First recorded before 900; Middle English schortly, Old English scortlīce; see short, -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.
Serhii K will shortly become the first suspect to face charges in this high profile trial.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
Forward progress on the fire, now 13% contained, was stopped shortly after 7:10 p.m., according to a department statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
“I would be really concerned to lose them,” Burnham told the BBC shortly after the Premier League’s verdict.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Prior to this latest episode, investors hadn’t seen such a large spike in the number of negative beta stocks since shortly after the dot-com bubble peaked.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
The parade is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. with the rally starting shortly after at 3 p.m.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
