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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in flash
lasting only for a short time
a brief flash of light
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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
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1
as in to inform
to give information to
the lieutenant briefed his superior officers on the state of the enemy's fortifications
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in shortness
the condition of being short
the briefness of the instructions rendered them less than helpful
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in concision
the quality or state of being marked by or using only few words to convey much meaning
in this case the briefness of the essay is not a drawback because it says all that needs to be said and does so with eloquence
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
Verb
-
Different experiences inform a more complete understanding of the problem and potential solutions.—
Karlo Tanjuakio,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
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
-
Lawyers are already using AI to analyze evidence, summarize witness testimony, and conduct legal research.—
Jay Adkisson,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2025
-
The women’s lawyers then issued a press release on Jan. 31, summarizing the claims.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
11 June 2025
Adjective
-
Unlike traditional employee income, business income does not always come with summary tax forms like the W2 at the end of the year.—
Vlad Rusz,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
-
Deputy Attorney General Drew Ensign struggled to answer a barrage of Boasberg’s questions during a Thursday hearing in Washington’s federal court, home to a multi-week standoff over President Trump’s executive power to exert summary deportations in the name of national security.—
David Catanese,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
If pop culture is to be believed, nothing good has ever come from a couple dashing off to a cute little cabin in the woods.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
10 June 2025
Adjective
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The Navy veteran's temporary fix has been seasonally decorating a construction cone, which was placed over the sinkhole as a warning.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
7 June 2025
-
Kiser lawsuit update: Court places temporary ban on release of records The first hearing in Kiser's case was held on June 3.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brief. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.
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