1
as in shortness
the condition of being short
the best quality a graduation speech can have is brevity
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2
as in concision
the quality or state of being marked by or using only few words to convey much meaning
if brevity is the soul of wit, then that speech wasn't at all witty
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brevity
This interview has been edited for brevity and length.
—
Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
Today, this exercise is used in classrooms and workshops to teach brevity, intentionality, and the art of what’s left unsaid.
—Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
His responses below have been edited for brevity and clarity.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 16 Sep. 2025
The truth is, there is rarely a Merritt Wever or an Adrien Brody in awards speeches—extreme cases of brevity or verbosity that stun both those in the room and at home.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brevity
Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
Today, this exercise is used in classrooms and workshops to teach brevity, intentionality, and the art of what’s left unsaid.
—Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
His responses below have been edited for brevity and clarity.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 16 Sep. 2025
The truth is, there is rarely a Merritt Wever or an Adrien Brody in awards speeches—extreme cases of brevity or verbosity that stun both those in the room and at home.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brevity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brevity
Noun
-
Luzzatto said the relative shortness of that term is scaring away capital.—
Matthew Geiger,
Denver Post,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Musically, Swift’s pivot toward concision feels like a response to claims that her last album was repetitive and overlong.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
-
This conversation has been edited for concision and clarity.—
Tom Teicholz,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Noun
-
The transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.—
Mary Divine,
Twin Cities,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Leaders must prioritize clarity, conciseness and specificity in communication, using bullet points and precise requests to reduce cognitive load and anxiety.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brevity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brevity. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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