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.
However, Eisenkot has ruled out a coalition with the Arab parties, only one of which (the conservative-Islamist Ra’am) has ever agreed to join an Israeli government (briefly in 2021). — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 18 Oct. 2026 In the southern port city of Marseille, some shops and a municipal police station were damaged, while protesters briefly forced their way into the lobby of City Hall. — Sylvie Corbet, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026 In the commotion, she was briefly separated from her 85-year-old mother, who lives with her. — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026 Kyiv briefly acceded to the request, but has since resumed attacks — and Russia has continued to pound Ukraine’s energy infrastructure throughout the week. — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Briefly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/briefly. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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