briefly

adverb

brief·​ly ˈbrē-flē How to pronounce briefly (audio)
Synonyms of brieflynext
1
a
: in a brief way
briefly mentioned
b
: in brief
the food, briefly, was awful
2
: for a short time
briefly married

Synonyms of briefly

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Examples of briefly in a Sentence

Several important issues are only briefly mentioned. Please briefly describe your experience. We briefly considered canceling the trip.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
So, someone who paid for one of these services longer may receive more than someone who subscribed briefly. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026 Firefighting planes briefly engaged but could not operate after dark. — ABC News, 4 July 2026 The blaze remained confined to the wrecking yard property, despite briefly jumping a fence and igniting vegetation to the west. — Sacbee.com, 4 July 2026 Fireworks on New York City’s East and Hudson rivers dazzled the metropolitan skyline as a fire briefly broke out on the Brooklyn Bridge. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for briefly

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of briefly was in the 13th century

Rhymes for briefly

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Browse Nearby Words

briefless
briefly
briefness
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Cite this Entry

“Briefly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/briefly. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on briefly

Nglish: Translation of briefly for Spanish Speakers

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