promptly
Americanadverb
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at once or without delay.
Be sure to complete the form accurately and return it promptly.
-
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.
Insurers say they investigate all claims and ensure amounts owed under the policies are paid promptly, fairly and fully.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
Who promptly moved the title of the institute’s building into the General Services Administration, swept its money into government accounts, and fired nearly its entire staff.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
A report, published days before the start of the October early releases, warned that almost half of offenders were not tagged promptly, despite electronic monitoring being key to success.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Retail diesel prices promptly started climbing, spooking markets, because diesel is the workhorse fuel of the economy.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
He looked inside and promptly lost his nerve.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
