Before long
Before long adverb - At or within a short time.
Usage example: the painters ought to be done before long
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Synonyms for Before long
Shortly is a synonym for before long in soon topic. In some cases you can use "Shortly" instead the phrase "Before long" as an adverb or an adjective, when it comes to topics like presently, in the near future, in a short while. popular alternative
Shortly
Shortly adverb - At or within a short time.
Usage example: the meeting will begin shortly, so don't go too far away to find a bathroom
Before long is a synonym for shortly in soon topic. You can use "Before long" instead the word "Shortly" as an adverb or an adjective, if it concerns topics such as presently, right away. popular alternative
Nearby Word: shorten
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
- short and before long
- short and shortly
- immediately and before long
- immediately and shortly
- directly and before long
- directly and shortly
- quick and before long
- quick and shortly
- quickly and before long
- quickly and shortly
- presently and before long
- presently and shortly
- promptly and before long
- promptly and shortly
Both terms in one sentence
- Before long, the trial stopped being about the charge of selling secrets to a Death Eater and started being about how fantastic Bagman had been against Turkey shortly prior.
Source: Convicted by Public Opinion - In Chill Factor, Mason receives a military super-weapon from Richard Long, with instructions to deliver it to a nearby military base, shortly before Long dies.
Cite this Source
Shortly and Before long. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/before_long/shortly
Before long & Shortly. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/before_long/shortly>.
Shortly or Before long. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/before_long/shortly.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "before long" and "shortly" have occurred on timeline