Word
shortly
Phoneticsshort·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈʃɔɹtɫi/
UK/ʃˈɔːtli/
Adverb of time
Definitions
01soon
B1 · Intermediate
adv. in a very short time from now; soon.
adv. occurring in or after a brief interval of time. Frequently used in formal announcements regarding arrivals or departures.
“The train for London will be departing shortly from platform four.”
“The CEO is expected to arrive shortly, so please ensure all the briefing documents are laid out on the conference table.”
Pitfall
I will be there shortly after two hours.
I will be there in two hours.
Use 'shortly' for an unspecified brief time. If you name a specific duration like 'two hours', use 'in'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02rudely or briefly
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adv. speaking in a quick way that shows you are a bit annoyed.
adv. in a curt, abrupt, or irritable manner. Often describes a style of speech that lacks polite elaboration.
“"I'm busy right now," he said shortly before hanging up the phone.”
“When asked about the budget deficit, the minister replied shortly that the matter was still under internal review.”
Antonyms
03briefly
C1 · Advanced Formal
adv. using only a few words to explain something.
adv. expressed in a concise or brief manner; using few words to convey a point.
“To put it shortly, we simply do not have enough money for the trip.”
“The report concludes, quite shortly, that the previous administration's policy was a total failure.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “shortly” in context.
Verb
01. announce the winners shortly
“The judges will announce the winners shortly after the final performance.”
verb + noun + adv
02. arrive shortly
“The next train to London will arrive shortly at platform four.”
verb + adv
03. reply shortly
“She replied shortly to his question, clearly annoyed by the interruption.”
verb + adv
04. retire shortly after the scandal
“The CEO chose to retire shortly after the scandal was made public.”
verb + adv + prep + noun
Preposition
05. shortly after lunch
“We decided to resume the meeting shortly after lunch to finalize the budget.”
prep + noun
06. shortly before midnight
“The storm reached its peak shortly before midnight, causing several power outages.”
prep + noun
07. shortly afterwards
08. shortly thereafter
Real-World Examples
“I’m worried about Prichard,” Williams, who was 31 at the time, said shortly after the fight in an interview with The Los Angeles Times.” “Seventeen passengers and crew were injured when the Airbus lost about 91 metres (300 feet) in height shortly after departure on 4 August.” “He came out to his parents shortly before leaving home to study drama at 19.” “Víctor remembers arriving shortly after one person had been pulled out alive.” Etymology
From Middle English schortly, schortliche, from Old English sċortlīċe (“shortly; before long; soon”), equivalent to short + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
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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