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.
Lee started as communications director shortly before Crumley’s departure, serving for about four months.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
In a statement, Ryanair said its Friday morning flight from the Greek city of Thessaloniki to Germany's Memmingen returned "shortly after take-off when a passenger window dislodged in flight".
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Axios reported that Graham told an associate that he was feeling unwell shortly before his death.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said shortly after the blaze that most of the victims likely died of smoke inhalation.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
This theory seems to lie somewhere between what became the new standard theory and Bodin’s theory, which we will come to shortly.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
