promptly
Americanadverb
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at once or without delay.
Be sure to complete the form accurately and return it promptly.
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exactly on time; punctually.
The doors will shut promptly at 2 p.m., and no latecomers will be seated.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of promptly
Explanation
To do something promptly is to do it right away or in a timely fashion, avoiding any delays. When you receive an invitation, you might immediately check your calendar and promptly reply. Doing things promptly is the opposite of procrastinating or putting things off. Showing up promptly for meetings, dates, and other plans is courteous and polite. When the President responds promptly to a crisis, it's considered good leadership. If you delay too much, you lost the chance to do something promptly — this is a word for things that happen fast.
Vocabulary lists containing promptly
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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"Of Mice and Men"
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Frindle
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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.
Celera’s stock promptly lost 11% of its value.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026
But not long after the job was complete, the paint began to visibly peel, and the gleaming waters promptly refilled with green pond scum.
From Barron's • Jun. 21, 2026
“I would respond promptly to any signals that an extended period of elevated energy prices could be leading to stronger possible second-round effects,” said BOE Gov. Andrew Bailey.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026
Receiving Chiarella’s “Leviticus” script while in Sydney on a bus to Bondi Beach, he became so engrossed in reading it he promptly missed his stop.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026
We continued for a while, then Togbe tried removing his hand, and I promptly sank again.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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.
