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Definition of presently

presently

/ˈprɛz.ənt.li/
pres · ent · ly
Adjective:present
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presently Lexical Profile

presently Game Scores & Validity

• adverb

1

At the present time; currently or now.

Example

"The historic theater is presently undergoing a major structural renovation."

2

After a short time; soon or shortly.

Example

"Please take a seat in the waiting room, and the doctor will see you presently."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for presently
Antonyms
View all antonyms for presently

Word Nuance & Usage

"Presently" can mean either "soon" (used with future or past narrative tenses, e.g., "The manager will be with you presently") or "now" (used with the present tense, e.g., "She is presently living in Madrid"). While the "now" sense was once criticized by traditional usage guides, both meanings are fully standard today and easily distinguished by verb tense.

• Rhymes for presently

• Nearby Words

presentational
presenteeism
presenter
presently
preservable
preservation
preservationist

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in Middle English from the adjective "present" (from Old French present and Latin praesens, meaning "being at hand") plus the adverbial suffix "-ly." It originally meant "immediately" or "at the present time," before shifting in early modern English to mean "after a short wait."

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Presently. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/presently
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