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.
Micron’s stock was down 5.6% shortly after the market opened on Tuesday amid declines across the broader chip sector.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
Bulgaria is a Nato member and the prime minister said he would speak shortly to secretary general Mark Rutte.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
Chief Executive Bob Iger — who started his career at the network shortly before it won back the rights to the event — still liked the prestige that it brought to the company.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
Friday, shortly before the holiday weekend, and began cutting trees early Saturday.
From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2026
Through pluck, luck, and a knack for the theatrical, Penelope and Simon had managed to discover those exact words shortly before Penelope was whisked away to Plinkst.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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.
