Wendell Oswalt
Synonyms
Adjective
- aphoristic
- apothegmatic
- capsule
- compact
- compendious
- concise
- crisp
- curt
- elliptical
- elliptic
- epigrammatic
- laconic
- monosyllabic
- pithy
- sententious
- succinct
- summary
- telegraphic
- terse
- thumbnail
Noun
- abstract
- breviary
- capsule
- conspectus
- digest
- encapsulation
- epitome
- inventory
- outline
- précis
- recap
- recapitulation
- résumé
- resume
- resumé
- roundup
- run-through
- rundown
- sum
- sum-up
- summa
- summarization
- summary
- summing-up
- synopsis
- wrap-up
Verb
Examples of brief in a Sentence
A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 22 Sep. 2023
How To Make Apple-Cranberry Salad Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started:
Step 1.
—Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 22 Sep. 2023
Kweli had quickly forgotten the brief blowups, both mine and Matilda’s.
—Anja Mutic, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2023
Despite a brief breakup that almost led to divorce, the couple is still going strong.
—Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2023
He’s owned it since then, except for a brief time when rules prohibited ownership of newspapers and TV stations in the same city.
—Oliver Darcy, CNN, 21 Sep. 2023
Here’s a brief roundup of some of the highest-profile legislation.
—Phil Willon, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023
In a brief phone call, Gerald Schneider, the ranch’s owner, confirmed that the program is now known as Sunlight Mountain Boys Ranch.
—Tyler Kingkade, NBC News, 21 Sep. 2023
Officials said that they would be given brief medical checkups before flying to Washington on a U.S. government plane.
—Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2023
Matt Ford, The New Republic, 20 Sep. 2023
While the brief is a symbolic endorsement — and comes at a time when San Diego is citing people camping near schools and parks — the city is not formally joining the case.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2023
The Senate Intel Committee has not gotten the brief.
—CBS News, 17 Sep. 2023
Enter Email Sign Up Trump’s waiver of his speedy trial right was filed Tuesday on the heels of a brief filed by Willis’s office arguing that all the defendants should be tried together because of efficiency and fairness issues.
—BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2023
These essays originated as newspaper columns and are by design brief.
—David James, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Sep. 2023
Pale sand dunes covered in sea grass and holly trees are muted against the men in neon swim briefs who wander through them.
—Evan Moffitt, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2023
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and six other civil rights groups this week filed an amicus brief in support of the Fearless Fund, a program that awards $20,000 grants to small businesses owned by Black women that was sued by Blum.
—Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2023
In July, the town of Patagonia filed a brief in support of the environmentalists’ lawsuit.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 8 Sep. 2023
Jeff Stein, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023
Previously, two law enforcement officials briefed on the probe told ABC News on Tuesday the gun appeared to have been purchased legally.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2023
That is the hope, at least, of the dozens of right-wing legal groups and other organizations representing wealthy Americans that filed friend of the court briefs with the justices this month.
—Matt Ford, The New Republic, 20 Sep. 2023
Heritage and other entities advising the initiative have already briefed presidential candidates, including Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and Trump, as well as staff for ex-United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, and ex-Vice President Mike Pence, the New York Times reported.
—Gabe Kaminsky, Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2023
Jordan and Comer briefed Senate Republicans on Thursday about the impeachment inquiry.
—Paul Gattis | Pgattis@al.com, al, 14 Sep. 2023
During those conversations, Stefanik also briefed Trump on the impeachment inquiry strategy, this person said.
—Jonathan Swan, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2023
China is planning to dispatch Vice President Han Zheng to an annual United Nations meeting of government leaders later this month, according to people briefed on the matter, instead of sending its top foreign policy official on a broader U.S. trip as previously signaled.
—WSJ, 9 Sep. 2023
During his trip, Mr. Shoigu suggested joint military drills with North Korea and China to counter trilateral military cooperation in the region by the United States, South Korea and Japan, according to South Korean lawmakers who were briefed by the South’s National Intelligence Service on Monday.
—Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brief.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Adjective
Middle English bref, breve, from Anglo-French bref, brief, from Latin brevis; akin to Old High German murg short, Greek brachys
Noun
Middle English bref, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin brevis, from Late Latin, summary, from Latin brevis brief entry 1
Verb
verbal derivative of brief entry 2
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing brief
Articles Related to brief
Dictionary Entries Near brief
Cite this Entry
“Brief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brief. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
brief
2 of 3 nounbrief
3 of 3 verbAdjective
Middle English bref, breve "short, brief," from early French brief, bref (same meaning), from Latin brevis "short" — related to breve
Noun
Middle English bref "formal letter," from early French bref (same meaning), derived from Latin brevis "summary," from earlier brevis (adjective) "short, brief"
Legal Definition
brief
1 of 2 nouncalled also memorandum
Note: Briefs are filed either by a party or an amicus curiae with a court usually regarding a specific motion (as for summary judgment) or point of law.
brief
2 of 2 transitive verbNoun
Old French bref, brief letter, writ indicating legal proceedings, from Late Latin brevis, breve short document, summary, from Latin brevis, adjective, short
More from Merriam-Webster on brief
Nglish: Translation of brief for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of brief for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about brief
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