Briefly: meaning, definitions and examples

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briefly

[ ˈbriː.fli ]

Adverb

^{Context #1 | Adverb}

in a concise manner

Briefly means in a short and to the point manner, without unnecessary details or elaboration.

Synonyms

concisely, shortly, succinctly.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
briefly	Use when mentioning something in a short amount of time or in a few words. It is often used in both spoken and written language. She explained briefly what happened Let's talk briefly before we go
succinctly	Best used when expressing ideas clearly and in a few words. Common in both formal and informal contexts. She presented her argument succinctly Can you put it more succinctly?
shortly	Usually refers to something happening or being done soon or in the near future. It can also indicate a brief manner, sometimes implying a curt tone (negative connotation). He'll be back shortly She replied shortly, 'I don't know '

Word

Description / Examples

briefly

Use when mentioning something in a short amount of time or in a few words. It is often used in both spoken and written language.

She explained briefly what happened
Let's talk briefly before we go

succinctly

Best used when expressing ideas clearly and in a few words. Common in both formal and informal contexts.

She presented her argument succinctly
Can you put it more succinctly?

shortly

Usually refers to something happening or being done soon or in the near future. It can also indicate a brief manner, sometimes implying a curt tone (negative connotation).

He'll be back shortly
She replied shortly, 'I don't know
'

Examples of usage

Can you briefly explain the main points of the presentation?
She briefly mentioned the upcoming event.

Translations

Translations of the word "briefly" in other languages:

🇵🇹 brevemente

🇮🇳 संक्षेप में

🇩🇪 kurz

🇮🇩 singkat

🇺🇦 коротко

🇵🇱 krótko

🇯🇵 簡単に (kantan ni)

🇫🇷 brièvement

🇪🇸 brevemente

🇹🇷 kısaca

🇰🇷 간단히 (gandanhi)

🇸🇦 بإيجاز (bi'ijaz)

🇨🇿 stručně

🇸🇰 stručne

🇨🇳 简要地 (jiǎnyào de)

🇸🇮 na kratko

🇮🇸 í stuttu máli

🇰🇿 қысқаша

🇬🇪 მოკლედ (mokled)

🇦🇿 qısaca

🇲🇽 brevemente

Etymology

The word 'briefly' originated from the Middle English word 'briefli', which comes from the Old French word 'brief', meaning 'short'. It has been used in the English language since the 14th century.

See also: brevity, brief, briefcase, briefness, briefs.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,058, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.

...
3055 satisfy
3056 surprised
3057 journal
3058 briefly
3059 trace
3060 gate
3061 focused
...