Synonyms of pithy

pithy

adjective

ˈpi-thē 

as in concise

marked by the use of few words to convey much information or meaning

a fairly pithy criticism about a notably lengthy novel

Synonyms & Similar Words

• concise
• brief
• summary
• succinct
• terse
• aphoristic
• epigrammatic
• short
• curt
• blunt
• sententious
• telegraphic
• laconic
• monosyllabic
• elliptic
• compendious
• crisp
• compact
• thumbnail
• capsule
• condensed
• elliptical
• abrupt
• apothegmatic
• abbreviated
• brusque
• meaningful
• shortened
• substantial
• abridged
• meaty
• snippy
• curtailed
• brusk
• snippety
• significant
• well-turned

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• wordy
• prolix
• circuitous
• verbose
• rambling
• redundant
• diffuse
• repetitious
• windy
• tautological
• long-winded
• enlarged
• circumlocutory
• exaggerated
• supplemented
• expanded
• pleonastic
• tautologous
• inflated
• embroidered
• embellished

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective pithy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pithy are compendious, concise, laconic, succinct, summary, and terse. While all these words mean "very brief in statement or expression," pithy adds to succinct or terse the implication of richness of meaning or substance.

a comedy sharpened by pithy one-liners

When could compendious be used to replace pithy?

The words compendious and pithy can be used in similar contexts, but compendious applies to what is at once full in scope and brief and concise in treatment.

a compendious dictionary

In what contexts can concise take the place of pithy?

Although the words concise and pithy have much in common, concise suggests the removal of all that is superfluous or elaborative.

a concise description

Where would laconic be a reasonable alternative to pithy?

In some situations, the words laconic and pithy are roughly equivalent. However, laconic implies brevity to the point of seeming rude, indifferent, or mysterious.

an aloof and laconic stranger

When is it sensible to use succinct instead of pithy?

The words succinct and pithy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, succinct implies the greatest possible compression.

a succinct letter of resignation

When would summary be a good substitute for pithy?

The synonyms summary and pithy are sometimes interchangeable, but summary suggests the statement of main points with no elaboration or explanation.

a summary listing of the year's main events

When is terse a more appropriate choice than pithy?

The meanings of terse and pithy largely overlap; however, terse implies pointed conciseness.

a terse reply

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pithy

While the Capitol is fixated on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s drive to rearrange California’s congressional districts in order to counter a pro-Republican gerrymander in Texas, there are several other pithy issues to resolve and just three weeks remaining in the legislative session. —Dan Walters, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2025

This pithy, poignant memoir by an award-winning American poet immortalizes a bygone world in a colorful mosaic of vignettes, jokes, and reflections. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025

The Science Behind The Heat The heat in jalapeños comes from capsaicin—a natural compound produced in the pepper's placenta (the white, pithy membrane inside the fruit). —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2025

The tool produces only contiguous excerpts, rather than joining different parts of the source video to produce a pithy summary of the entire thing. —PC Magazine, 29 July 2025