relatively shortly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "relatively shortly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something will happen in a short amount of time, but with a degree of comparison or context implied. Example: "We expect to receive the results relatively shortly after the tests are completed."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

Furthermore, although relative risks for breast cancer are higher when studying incident cases diagnosed relatively shortly after a negative examination than when studying prevalent cases, risk is still strong among prevalent cases [ 36- 38].

Breast Cancer Research

The G.M. executive, Nick Reilly, said the company would first inform "our people and our union colleagues" about the plan, and did not specify when G.M. would go public with details, saying only that they "will be released relatively shortly".

The New York Times

Indeed, those who seek to write nuclear off completely are missing what could be extraordinary, breakthrough developments on the horizon with hybrid technologies that might — relatively shortly — completely reshape the way we think about nuclear energy.

The New York Times

"Will Channel 4 be of sufficient scale to compete successfully and retain its younger audience?" Ofcom made it clear that it will not look to pre-empt the wide ranging review of the BBC that will be part of the royal charter renewal process, which is due to begin "relatively shortly" and be put in place from 2017.

The Guardian

The event should be starting relatively shortly.

TechCrunch

All tested animals became infected, but for practical reasons, it was not possible to simultaneously measure infection intensity and the levels gene expression, as the animal was sampled relatively shortly after infection.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

The relatively weak signal shortly after sectioning is in keeping with this possibility, as discussed by others (30).

American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology

One would suspect this could lead to relatively small tumors detected shortly after screening, followed by gradually increasing tumor sizes with the time since last screening.

Breast Cancer Research

But while the military stressed that its priority was recovering bodies, the discovery of the vertical stabilizer from the tail of the Airbus A330 could help decipher what caused the relatively new plane to disappear shortly before midnight on May 31.

The New York Times

Mice that lack both the apoptotic and necroptotic cell-death pathways can develop relatively normally, but they die shortly after birth if they also lack SHARPIN.

eLife

These mice show clinical signs of neurological symptoms such as deviation of the head, ataxia and paralysis 6 12 days after infection, when the level of parasitaemia is relatively low, and often die shortly after the onset.

EMBO Molecular Medicine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "relatively shortly" when you want to indicate a brief duration with an implicit comparison or context, such as contrasting it with a longer potential timeframe.

Common error

Avoid using "relatively shortly" in very casual conversations; simpler alternatives like "soon" or "shortly" often sound more natural.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "relatively shortly" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to indicate the timing of an action or event. It specifies that something will occur in a time frame that is short in comparison to other possibilities. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in varied contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

53%

News & Media

41%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the adverbial phrase "relatively shortly" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to indicate that something will happen in a short period of time, especially when considered in relation to other possible timeframes. According to Ludwig, it is deemed grammatically correct. While its register is generally neutral, it appears more frequently in scientific and news-related contexts. While acceptable in formal writing, simpler alternatives may be more appropriate for casual conversations. When you’re looking for a phrase indicating short duration but want to give an idea of comparison with a longer duration, this phrase gets the job done.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fairly soon

Emphasizes the nearness in time, similar to "relatively shortly" but with a slightly less formal tone.

in due course

Suggests that something will happen at the appropriate time without undue delay, offering a slightly more formal alternative.

in the near future

Highlights the proximity of the event's occurrence in the future, offering a more explicit timeframe.

before long

Indicates that something will happen quickly, providing a more casual and informal substitute.

in a little while

Suggests a brief period of time, offering a more conversational and less precise option.

pretty quickly

Similar to "relatively shortly" but focuses more on speed of occurrence.

in short order

Indicates that something will happen promptly and efficiently, providing a more forceful alternative.

anon

An archaic term that means soon or shortly, use is limited to literary or historical contexts.

presently

Signifies that something will happen very soon, offering a slightly more formal and somewhat archaic alternative.

forthwith

An archaic term meaning immediately or without delay, use limited to specific legal or formal contexts.

FAQs

How can I use "relatively shortly" in a sentence?

You can use "relatively shortly" to indicate that an event will occur in a short amount of time, especially when comparing it to another possible timeframe. For example, "We expect to receive the results "relatively shortly" after the tests are completed".

What are some alternatives to "relatively shortly"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "fairly soon", "in the near future", or "before long" as alternatives to "relatively shortly".

Is it always necessary to include "relatively" when I mean "shortly"?

No, "relatively" adds a degree of comparison or context. If you simply mean "soon", using just "shortly" is perfectly acceptable and often more concise.

What is the difference between "relatively shortly" and "immediately"?

"Immediately" implies that something happens without any delay whatsoever. "Relatively shortly" suggests a brief period, but not necessarily instantaneous action. Thus, "immediately" is a stronger and more absolute term.