Word
briefly
US/ˈbɹifɫi/
UK/bɹˈiːfli/
Adverb of time
Definitions
01for a short time
B1 · Intermediate
adv. for a very short period of time.
adv. lasting for a short duration; used to describe events or states that do not persist.
“We stopped briefly in Paris on our way to the south of France.”
“The lights flickered briefly during the storm, but the backup generator kicked in before the building lost power entirely.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02using few words
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adv. using only a few words to explain something.
adv. in a concise or summary manner; expressing the main points without unnecessary detail.
“The manager spoke briefly about the new rules before the shift started.”
“The report outlines the findings briefly, focusing on the primary causes of the equipment failure rather than the minor technical details.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03to summarize
B2 · Upper Intermediate Formal
adv. you use this to introduce a short summary of what you are about to say.
adv. used as a sentence adverb to introduce a concise summary or conclusion.
“Briefly, the plan is to sell the house and move to the coast.”
“Briefly, the proposed legislation aims to reduce carbon emissions by incentivising the transition to renewable energy sources across the industrial sector.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “briefly” in context.
Verb
01. briefly describe
“Please briefly describe your previous work experience during the interview.”
adv + verb
02. briefly discuss
“We will briefly discuss the new policy changes at the end of the meeting.”
adv + verb
03. briefly examine
“The report will briefly examine the impact of the new regulations on small businesses.”
adv + verb
04. briefly present
“Each group will briefly present their findings to the rest of the class.”
adv + verb
05. briefly review
“Before we start the new lesson, let's briefly review what we learned yesterday.”
adv + verb
06. briefly summarise
“Could you briefly summarise the main points of the article for me?”
adv + verb
07. briefly outcome
Real-World Examples
“Across the room, her husband, Ba Demba Ceesay, speaks only briefly.” “Day briefly turned to night in Spain yesterday, as the country witnessed its first total solar eclipse in more than a century.” “They say this created a situation where the aircraft's systems briefly believed the plane was actually on the ground, even though it was in the air.” Etymology
From Middle English breefly, breffly, brevely, brevelike, breveliche, equivalent to brief + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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