Presently — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adverb /ˈpre-zᵊnt-lē/ pres·ent·ly

Meaning & Definition of Presently

Presently (adverb)

  1. at once
  2. without undue delay, before long
  3. at the present time, now

Presently (adverb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. at or within a short time

    "I cannot attend to the matter this instant, but I will presently"

    similar: anon, before long, by and by, directly, momentarily, shortly, soon
    related: forthwith, immediately, incontinently, instantaneously, instantly, now, promptly, pronto, right away, right now, right off, straightaway, straightway

  2. at the present time

    "we are presently waiting in line for our turn"

    similar: anymore, currently, now, nowadays, right now, today, at present, for the time being
    related: here
    opposite: before, formerly, long, once, then
    near: away, far, farthest, remotest, heretofore, hitherto, since, ago, previously

  3. without delay

    "the performance is starting presently"

    similar: bang, directly, forthwith, headlong, immediately, incontinently, instantaneously, instanter, instantly, now, PDQ, plumb, promptly, pronto, right, right away, right now, right off, straight off, straightaway, straightway, at once, in no time, off the bat, on a dime, on the double, on the spot
    related: away, freely, anon, momentarily, shortly, soon, apace, briskly, fast, fleetly, full tilt, posthaste, quick, quickly, rapidly, readily, snappily, speedily, swift, swiftly, abruptly, presto, suddenly, unexpectedly, hastily, impetuously, impulsively, rashly, recklessly, exactly, opportunely, punctually, seasonably
    near: slowly, late, tardily

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Presently

The most common words with a similar meaning to Presently:

anon, before long, by and by, directly, momentarily, shortly, soon, anymore, currently, now, nowadays, right now, today, bang, forthwith, headlong, immediately, incontinently, instantaneously, instanter, instantly, PDQ, plumb, promptly, pronto, right, right away, right off, straight off, straightaway, straightway, at present, for the time being, at once, in no time, off the bat, on a dime, on the double, on the spot

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Presently

Words with the opposite meaning of Presently:

before, formerly, long, once, then

Related Words for Presently

here, away, freely, apace, briskly, fast, fleetly, full tilt, posthaste, quick, quickly, rapidly, readily, snappily, speedily, swift, swiftly, abruptly, presto, suddenly, unexpectedly, hastily, impetuously, impulsively, rashly, recklessly, exactly, opportunely, punctually, seasonably

Near Antonyms of Presently

away, far, farthest, remotest, heretofore, hitherto, since, ago, previously, slowly, late, tardily

Origin & Etymology of Presently

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Presently

Frequently Asked Questions about Presently

What does "Presently" mean?

"Presently" means at once. As an adverb, it is defined as: at once. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Presently"?

Other words for "Presently" include anon, before long, by and by, directly, momentarily, shortly, soon and anymore. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Presently" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Presently"?

There are 69 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Presently". Common alternatives include anon, before long, by and by, directly, momentarily, shortly, soon, anymore, currently and now.

What is the opposite of "Presently"?

Antonyms of "Presently" include before, formerly, long, once and then. Near antonyms include away, far, farthest and remotest.

How do you use "Presently" in a sentence?

Examples of "Presently" in a sentence: "I cannot attend to the matter this instant, but I will presently"; "we are presently waiting in line for our turn"; "the performance is starting presently".

Is "Presently" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Presently" is an adverb.

Is "Presently" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Presently" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Presently"?

"Presently" is pronounced /ˈpre-zᵊnt-lē/ and divided into syllables as pres·ent·ly.