as in concisely
in a few words
tell us briefly why you chose this position
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of briefly
The California Highway Patrol was investigating a crash on Friday that briefly shut down Highway 50 in El Dorado County after a vehicle went off the road and crashed at the bottom of an embankment, leaving its driver and passenger with serious injuries.
—
Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 3 Apr. 2026
The group is rounded out by singer Jon Davison, bassist Billy Sherwood, drummer Jay Schellan, and keyboardist Geoff Downes, a member of the Buggles who was briefly in Yes during the 1980 Drama period before rejoining on a more permanent basis in 2011.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026
The men fought briefly on the ground before other men assisted the officer.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Rain will be briefly heavy where showers develop.
—Cutter Martin, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for briefly
Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 3 Apr. 2026
The group is rounded out by singer Jon Davison, bassist Billy Sherwood, drummer Jay Schellan, and keyboardist Geoff Downes, a member of the Buggles who was briefly in Yes during the 1980 Drama period before rejoining on a more permanent basis in 2011.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026
The men fought briefly on the ground before other men assisted the officer.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Rain will be briefly heavy where showers develop.
—Cutter Martin, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for briefly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for briefly
Adverb
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One of the strengths of the film is a precise visual design that alternates between distance and intimacy, with Caswill using the landscapes of her Alberta location to clearly and concisely express the sense of loneliness and isolation afflicting her heroine.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2026
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Few other comedians do this so consistently or concisely.—
John Roy,
Vulture,
13 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Writer Hugo Vickers writes in the upcoming biography Queen Elizabeth II that Philip underwent heart surgery on March 1, 2021, shortly before his death and almost did not make it.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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That’s how, last night, the best golfer most of us have ever seen slinked out of a Florida jail shortly before midnight and headed off into an uncertain future.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Briefly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/briefly. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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