1
as in concise
marked by the use of few words to convey much information or meaning
a brief but crucial admonition to keep quiet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in short
not lasting for a considerable time
fortunately, the meeting was brief
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in flash
lasting only for a short time
a brief flash of light
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in summary
a short statement of the main points
a one-page brief of the intelligence report
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mission
a specific task with which a person or group is charged
the soldiers' brief was to secure the village from enemy attacks
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to inform
to give information to
the lieutenant briefed his superior officers on the state of the enemy's fortifications
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to summarize
to make into a short statement of the main points (as of a report)
his duties include briefing intelligence reports for the president
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brief
Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 4 June 2025
Wilders announced his decision early Tuesday in a message on X after a brief meeting in parliament of leaders of the four parties that make up the fractious administration.
—Graham Underwood, Arkansas Online, 4 June 2025
Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 29 May 2025
Generally speaking, Reichardt’s social commentary is only surface-scratching, the fractious Civil Rights dynamics and wartime unrest relegated to those TV news briefs, the protest posters papered on walls throughout town.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
Iain MacAuley, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
As the Trump administration tries to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has been threatening to upend the talks by striking Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facilities, according to officials briefed on the situation.
—Julian E. Barnes, New York Times, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for brief
Adjective
As import bookings into the U.S. fell and ocean carriers began blanking sailings on the Pacific Ocean, trucking firms endured a brief period where cargo pickups out of America’s two largest ports—Los Angeles and Long Beach—plummeted.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 4 June 2025
Wilders announced his decision early Tuesday in a message on X after a brief meeting in parliament of leaders of the four parties that make up the fractious administration.
—Graham Underwood, Arkansas Online, 4 June 2025
Noun
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and a dozen local governments in Colorado filed briefs in the case, urging the Supreme Court to leave the lower court’s decision in place.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 29 May 2025
Generally speaking, Reichardt’s social commentary is only surface-scratching, the fractious Civil Rights dynamics and wartime unrest relegated to those TV news briefs, the protest posters papered on walls throughout town.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
Verb
Marcus' colleague Dan Nunn slides in to the passenger seat, clearly well-practiced, to brief me on the Artura's controls.
—Iain MacAuley, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
As the Trump administration tries to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has been threatening to upend the talks by striking Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facilities, according to officials briefed on the situation.
—Julian E. Barnes, New York Times, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for brief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brief
Adjective
-
The Look and Sound of Leadership Each episode delivers concise, ready-to-use strategies for communicating with confidence, managing teams and leading through change.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
-
There is no shortage of lengthy and confusing timelines of Swift’s battle to own those albums on the Internet, but below is a concise history.—
Jem Aswad,
Variety,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
When in a forest, stay in proximity to shorter tree groupings.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2025
-
Pool offers a short menu of beef burgers, turkey burgers, hot dogs and fries.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Adjective
-
Don’t let the lack of flash fool you — this guy is the real deal.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
The Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2025
-
The German figures come a day before the scheduled release of flash inflation data for the euro area, which will be closely watched by investors for guidance on the odds of another interest rate cut from the European Central Bank.—
Sophie Kiderlin,
CNBC,
30 Sep. 2024
Noun
-
Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter, The Spot. Updated 11:30 a.m. June 3, 2025: Because the bill’s summary was not updated to reflect legislative changes, this story originally misreported the final language of House Bill 1146.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
3 June 2025
-
This was the 21st flight for the first stage, including 13 prior Starlink missions, according to a flight summary on SpaceX's website.—
Robert Z. Pearlman,
Space.com,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
The trailer certainly paints a trippy picture of a high-tech near-future that veers into nightmare territory, as so many games in the Black Ops franchise tend to do, slipping between missions in the real-world and a psychedelic dream-world filled with demons and other nightmares.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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Maria Shriver Calls Chris Pratt 'a Great Member of Our Family' for His 'Spiritual and Kind' Nature Amazon Prime Video's The Terminal List follows a Navy SEAL who returns home with conflicting memories after his platoon is ambushed on a covert mission.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
Different experiences inform a more complete understanding of the problem and potential solutions.—
Karlo Tanjuakio,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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His mother informs Mel and his sister that their father will be out on day release but urges them not to share their address with him.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
10 June 2025
Verb
-
The women’s lawyers then issued a press release on Jan. 31, summarizing the claims.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
11 June 2025
-
Lawyers are already using AI to analyze evidence, summarize witness testimony, and conduct legal research.—
Jay Adkisson,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2025
Adjective
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An award-winning toy creator and a doctor have teamed up to launch a new company that manufactures products designed to make health care less scary for little kids, and less stressful for parents.—
Joan Verdon,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
Her ensemble featured a simple yet striking little black dress with a semi-sheer bodice and a voluminous, inflated hemline, perfectly paired with dainty black mules and matching arm cuffs on both wrists.—
Mecca Pryor,
Essence,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brief. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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