SHAWRT-lee
/ˈʃɔɹtli/
shortly is pronounced SHAWRT-lee (/ˈʃɔɹtli/). Shortly means in a short time; soon. It also serves as an adverb describing the imminent occurrence of an action. In everyday use, it conveys a brief delay or a near-term timeframe with a concise, time-bound nuance. (2–4 sentences, ~60 words).
Shortly means in a short time; soon. It also serves as an adverb describing the imminent occurrence of an action. In everyday use, it conveys a brief delay or a near-term timeframe with a concise, time-bound nuance. (2–4 sentences, ~60 words)
"I’ll be there shortly after I finish this call."
"The deadline is approaching, so we should wrap up shortly."
"She’ll respond shortly once she reviews the document."
Shortly is pronounced with two syllables: /ˈʃɔrt/ /li/ in US and UK dictionaries. The primary stress is on the first syllable. The first vowel is the open-mid back /ɔ/ as in ‘thought,’ followed by /rt/ with a clear /t/ release before the final /li/ /li/? The second syllable is a light, unstressed “ly” with an initial /l/ and a light /i/ vowel. In IPA: US/UK: ˈʃɔrt.li. In careful speech you’ll hear a crisp /t/ before the /l/; in fast speech the /rt/ may coalesce slightly. For audio reference, compare with common adverbials like ‘shortly after’ in standard pronunciations.
Common errors include treating it as one syllable (shor-til without clear t), misplacing stress (putting stress on the second syllable), or pronouncing the /l/ and /i/ as a dull, muted sequence. Correct it by ensuring a strong /t/ release before /l/ and a distinct, light /i/ in the second syllable. Practice by saying ‘short-ly’ with a brief pause between /t/ and /l/ to preserve the /rt/ cluster sound and prevent vowel muffling in the second syllable.
In US English, /ˈʃɔrt.li/ features a rhotic /r/ before the /t/. In many UK varieties, the /ɔː/ vowel is longer and the /r/ is not pronounced unless followed by a vowel (non-rhotic), so it may sound like /ˈʃɔːt.li/ with a weaker or silent /r/. Australian pronunciation tends toward /ˈʃɔːt.li/ with a broad, vowel-rich first syllable and a pronounced /l/ in the second syllable. The rhythm remains two-syllable with primary stress on the first syllable in all accents.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /rt/ immediately before the /l/ transition, which can blur in fast speech. The tongue moves from a postalveolar /ʃ/ to a dense /rt/ cluster, then to a light /l/; coordinating voicing and timing across syllables challenges non-native speakers, especially when the final /li/ is unstressed and shorter. Also accommodation across accents affects vowel length and rhoticity. Focused practice on the /t/ release before /l/ and crisp /l/ can solidify accuracy.
Think of saying two quick, distinct syllables with a clean /t/ release: SHORE-t(uh)-lee, but maintain a crisp /t/ and a light /l/ by guiding air with the tongue tip close to the alveolar ridge. Visualize the mouth shape: start with rounded lips /ɔ/ for the first syllable, then relax the jaw for the /t/ release into /l/ and /i/. Recording yourself and comparing to a native speaker helps lock the two-syllable rhythm and precise tongue positions.
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Shortly originates from the Middle English word short, denoting a small amount of time or distance. The adverbial suffix -ly was added to form a manner adverb meaning “in a short time; soon.” The semantic shift cultivated around the 14th–15th centuries as English speakers described actions with minimal delay. The core root short references compactness or brevity, extended metaphorically to time in the sense of a brief interval. First known uses appear in legal and clerical texts where precise timing was important, later spreading to general conversation. Over time, shortly evolved to imply not just speed but imminence, as in “shortly thereafter,” indicating a near-future event with a formal or semi-formal register. The word has retained a consistently time-oriented sense across centuries while its usage broadened from literal immediacy to more flexible, near-term meaning in modern English.
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Words that rhyme with "shortly"
-tly sounds
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