# briefly

> English word · Adverb · IPA /ˈbɹiːfli/ · frequency rank #4,923

## Definitions
1. In a brief manner, summarily.
2. For a brief period.
3. To be brief, in short.

## Etymology
From Middle English breefly, breffly, brevely, brevelike, breveliche, equivalent to brief + -ly.

## Easily confused with
- **briefs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/briefly-vs-briefs)
- **briskly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/briefly-vs-briskly)
- **brief** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/brief-vs-briefly)
- **briefed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/briefed-vs-briefly)

## Common misspellings (11)
`bbriefly`, `birefly`, `breifly`, `brieffly`, `brieflly`, `brieflyy`, `briefyl`, `brielfy`, `brifely`, `brriefly`, `rbiefly`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/briefly