1A short moment; just a little while—a brief span of time.
しばらくお待ちください。
Please wait a moment.
目を閉じて、しばらく休んでください。
Close your eyes and rest for a little while.
しばらくしたら戻ってきます。
I'll be back in a little while.
2For a while, for some time—covering a more extended stretch of time than sense 1, ranging from hours to years.
彼はしばらく大阪に住んでいた。
He lived in Osaka for a while.
新しいプロジェクトのせいで、しばらく忙しくなりそうだ。
Because of the new project, it looks like things will be busy for a while.
スマホの買い替えは、しばらく先になりそうだ。
Getting a new phone will probably have to wait for a while.
3For the time being, for now—indicating something will stay as is for the foreseeable future, close in meaning to とりあえず.
しばらくは様子を見ましょう。
Let's watch how things go for the time being.
その件はしばらく保留にしておいてください。
Please leave that matter on hold for now.
4An interjection used as a greeting when meeting someone after a long time—'long time no see'.
しばらく！元気にしてた？
Long time no see! How have you been?
しばらくだね。全然変わってないね。
It's been a while, hasn't it. You haven't changed a bit.