How to pronounce shortly
Say it like SHORT-lee. Shortly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHORT).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shortly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHORT
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shortly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHORTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of shortly
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SHAWT-lee.
What does shortly mean?
- for a short time“he was at the airport shortly before she was expected to arrive”
- in the near future“the doctor will soon be here”“the book will appear shortly”
- in a curt, abrupt and discourteous manner“he told me curtly to get on with it”“he talked short with everyone”
Where does shortly come from?
From Middle English schortly, schortliche, from Old English sċortlīċe (“shortly; before long; soon”), equivalent to short + -ly.
Words that rhyme with shortly
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of shortly.
Questions about saying shortly
How do you pronounce shortly?
Say SHORT-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈʃɔrtli/. In British English it is /ˈʃɔːtli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shortly?
Shortly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHORT). Broken into parts: SHORT · lee.
Is shortly pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈʃɔːtli/ (SHAWT-lee).