promptly

adverb

prompt·​ly ˈpräm(p)t-lē How to pronounce promptly (audio)
ˈpräm-plē
1
: in a prompt manner : without delay : very quickly or immediately
I'm going to speak French again, something I learned in school and promptly forgot.Deanna Pai
Treatment is promptly resumed until the virus is suppressed again, and then stopped to see if the patient's immune system is able to keep the viral levels in check.Joan Stephenson
2
: exactly at a particular time or the correct time
She arrived promptly at 7:00 p.m. as we had agreed.

Examples of promptly in a Sentence

shipped the package promptly so that it would arrive on time
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As Kagan said in court on Thursday, the Mexican government might have had a good theory, but U.S cities brought similar suits in the early 2000s, and Congress promptly passed a law shielding gun manufacturers from lawsuits stemming from the criminal use of a firearm by a third party. Nina Totenberg, NPR, 5 June 2025 Even a minor issue can escalate into a major reputational disaster if it’s not handled promptly and transparently. Valentina Drofa, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025 Eve’s traumatic childhood loss is seen in an exciting opening sequence, in which divers with crossbows emerge from the sea and promptly wipe out guards at a splendid coastal villa. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2025 Martinez, her attorney, promptly filed what’s called an I-246 application for stay of deportation to keep her in the country on humanitarian grounds: Yaretzi needed her mother. Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for promptly

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of promptly was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Promptly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/promptly. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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