presently

[prez-uhnt-lee]

adverb

1. in a little while; soon.

   They will be here presently.

   Synonyms: forthwith, shortly
   Antonyms: later

2. at the present time; now.

   He is presently out of the country.

3. Archaic.,  immediately.

presently

/ ˈprɛzəntlɪ /

adverb

1. in a short while; soon

2. at the moment

3. an archaic word for immediately

Usage

The two apparently contradictory meanings of presently, “in a little while, soon” and “at the present time, now,” are both old in the language. In the latter meaning presently dates back to the 15th century. It is currently in standard use in all varieties of speech and writing in both Great Britain and the United States. The sense “soon” arose gradually during the 16th century. Strangely, it is the older sense “now” that is sometimes objected to by usage guides. The two senses are rarely if ever confused in actual practice. Presently meaning “now” is most often used with the present tense ( The professor is presently on sabbatical leave ) and presently meaning “soon” often with the future tense ( The supervisor will be back presently ). The semantic development of presently parallels that of anon, which first had the meaning, now archaic, of “at once, immediately,” but later came to mean “soon.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of presently¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; present ¹, -ly

Synonym Study

See immediately

Example Sentences

It is also seeking £200m for a recovery plan to boost officer numbers, which the Northern Ireland Executive has said it cannot presently afford.

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“He is presently detained under restrictions that limit his access to counsel, medical providers, and family,” U.S.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"My mum's disease is quite progressed now, but the main thing is that we just have learnt to live presently and take each day as it comes, one step at a time."

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Gavin also spent 20 years in the Irish military and is presently a senior aviation regulator.

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“I do think that presently, the guys are engaged,” Roberts added.

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Related Words

• immediately 
• soon