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

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.
Last week, futures traders briefly pushed the probability of a rate increase by the end of 2026 to 52%. Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026 Gas prices in Michigan are up 4 cents per gallon in the AAA's week-to-week tracker, currently hovering at just under $4 a gallon after having briefly reached that point a few days ago. Paula Wethington, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026 One security officer was struck by the vehicle and briefly knocked unconscious but did not suffer life‑threatening injuries. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026 In 2004 when Yankee Stadium briefly replaced Cracker Jack with Crunch ‘n Munch, another caramel corn treat with peanuts, fans revolted and the team brought back Cracker Jack. Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Briefly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/briefly. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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