presently

adverb

pres·​ent·​ly ˈpre-zᵊnt-lē 

1

a

archaic : at once

b

: without undue delay : before long

2

: at the present time : now

Usage of Presently

Both senses 1b and 2 are flourishing in current English, but many commentators have objected to sense 2. Since this sense has been in continuous use since the 15th century, it is not clear why it is objectionable. Perhaps a note in the Oxford English Dictionary (1909) that the sense has been obsolete since the 17th century in literary English is to blame, but the note goes on to observe that the sense is in regular use in most English dialects. The last citation in that dictionary is from a 1901 Leeds newspaper, written in Standard English. Sense 2 is most common in contexts relating to business and politics.

the fastest-rising welfare cost is Medicaid, presently paid by the states and cities

—William Safire

Synonyms

• anon
• before long
• by and by
• directly
• momentarily
• shortly
• soon

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Additionally, there are many companies that could announce their move to dual primary listings, such as Baidu, JD.com, Trip.com, and others, which are presently excluded from Southbound Stock Connect. —Brendan Ahern, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024

The failure of those on the right who have endorsed Harris to remain rooted in timeless principles damages them both presently and retroactively. —Jack Butler, National Review, 27 Oct. 2024

The truth is that parametric and parametric-like insurance options are presently limited in the U.S., but there’s room for expansion and innovation that can offer renters cost-effective, flexible insurance to protect their belongings, and ultimately their finances, in a natural disaster event. —Kelly Anonson, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024

Combs is presently in federal custody, awaiting his May 5, 2025 trial date. —Shania Russell, EW.com, 22 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

presently

adverb

pres·​ent·​ly ˈprez-ᵊnt-lē 

1

archaic : at once

2

: before long : after a while

presently they arrived

3

: at the present time : now

she is presently working