as in concisely
in a few words
the beleaguered mayor curtly answered all questions with a simple "No comment"
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Recent Examples of curtly
The Yangs were called in and curtly told the judgment was being overturned, their lawsuit dismissed without trial.
—
Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for curtly
Adverb
-
Few other comedians do this so consistently or concisely.—
John Roy,
Vulture,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Well, first of all, that was incredibly concisely summarized.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
26 Dec. 2025
Adverb
-
Chernyshov had just taken a pass in the neutral zone from linemate Will Smith when he was checked by Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson, who briefly put his right arm around the Sharks winger to try and slow him down.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
15 Mar. 2026
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Italy trailed only briefly after a leadoff home run by Willi Castro before scoring four runs in the first inning to go on top for good.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Preckwinkle, a former history teacher, typically defends her record like the head of a classroom, emphasizing context, flipping through prepared statements, and often tersely making her case or deferring to deputies with expertise.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
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The dissonance between their bacchanalian ritual and Adelaida’s silent, solitary suffering is marked, and the disrespect for the dead further underlined when a gravedigger tersely shoos her away from the graveside, reminding her that the area is unsafe, especially at nightfall.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Curtly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/curtly. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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