shortly

The word “shortly” means soon, or after a brief time. In plain terms, soon, briefly, or (less commonly) said in a curt tone.

“Shortly” is pronounced SHAWRT-lee (/ˈʃɔɹtli/ in IPA).

Here is “shortly” used in a sentence: “The doctor will see you shortly.”

“Shortly” is an adverb.

The word “shortly” comes from Old English. From Old English sċortlīċe, from short + -ly.

“Shortly” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Shortly” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: soon, or after a brief time.

Both mean before long, and they are often interchangeable. "Shortly" tends to sound a touch more formal and to suggest a fairly near, definite time — "the train will arrive shortly." "Soon" is more everyday and a little looser about exactly when. In most sentences either word fits comfortably.

Yes. In its most common sense, "shortly" means soon or after a brief time, as in "we will begin shortly." It can also mean curtly or abruptly when describing how someone speaks — "he replied shortly" — but the time-related meaning is by far the more frequent.

It sits slightly on the formal side and is common in announcements, customer service and writing — "your call will be answered shortly." It is not stiff, though, and works fine in speech. For very casual conversation, many people simply say "soon" instead.