presently
adverb
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.
William Safire
Synonyms
Examples of presently in a Sentence
Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 4 Feb. 2025
The complications are many when a high-priced, veteran star player wants out of his contact and demands a trade -- as the Miami Heat is presently experiencing with Jimmy Butler.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2025
Another proposal would change the mercy rule in football, which presently means a running clock in the fourth quarter when a team has a 35-point lead.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 15 Jan. 2025
And did the pollsters share with the poll respondents data relative to the actual number of transgender students presently being served by public and private schools relative to entire school population, again based on local, state, or national statistics?
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2025
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Dictionary Entries Near presently
Cite this Entry
“Presently.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/presently. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
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presently
adverb
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