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summary

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adjective

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective summary contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of summary are compendious, concise, laconic, pithy, succinct, and terse. While all these words mean "very brief in statement or expression," summary suggests the statement of main points with no elaboration or explanation.

a summary listing of the year's main events

When would compendious be a good substitute for summary?

The words compendious and summary are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, compendious applies to what is at once full in scope and brief and concise in treatment.

a compendious dictionary

When is concise a more appropriate choice than summary?

In some situations, the words concise and summary are roughly equivalent. However, concise suggests the removal of all that is superfluous or elaborative.

a concise description

When is it sensible to use laconic instead of summary?

While in some cases nearly identical to summary, laconic implies brevity to the point of seeming rude, indifferent, or mysterious.

an aloof and laconic stranger

How does the word pithy relate to other synonyms for summary?

Pithy adds to succinct or terse the implication of richness of meaning or substance.

a comedy sharpened by pithy one-liners

When might succinct be a better fit than summary?

The meanings of succinct and summary largely overlap; however, succinct implies the greatest possible compression.

a succinct letter of resignation

When can terse be used instead of summary?

The words terse and summary can be used in similar contexts, but terse implies pointed conciseness.

a terse reply

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of summary
Noun
According to summaries of its filings, Angel has also used high-interest debt and other financing arrangements tied to revenue streams such as Sound of Freedom. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2025 According to a summary in court documents, detectives alleged Lopez knew the plan was to steal the victim's car. Michelle Cruz, AZCentral.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Human Rights Watch said M23’s efforts to consolidate control of Goma have involved possible war crimes, including the summary execution of civilians in February. Michela Wrong, NBC news, 6 June 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for summary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for summary
Noun
  • The story by outlines how Citic Telecom CPC company, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates three Baltic Sea cables that carry information from private individuals, companies, and authorities.
    Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Instead, there’s just a drawing, an outline of the back of the heads of two young women in hoodies.
    Camilla Wright, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Springsteen obliged, with a statement that was at once concise and powerful.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Bednar’s response was concise, but hard to argue with.
    Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • That storm may make landfall over Isabela or northern Aurora on Friday, the brief said.
    Rajeev Tyagi, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The Celtics were looking for organizational clarity again after a first-round exit that resulted in Danny Ainge’s retirement (however brief) and Stevens’ move to the front office.
    Jay King, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The painting is a mini summa of two key tendencies running through Shahn’s work: self-quotation and cheekiness.
    Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 24 June 2025
  • Rabelais points out that there are oddities in the world that cannot fit into any classification scheme, more things in our heaven and earth than are dreamt of in either the medieval pretensions of the summa or the ambitious early modern bibliographic machines.
    Brendan Fitzgerald, Longreads, 27 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • In its easy-to-digest design, users first take a detailed personality test, then are partnered with compatible singles.
    Malia Griggs, Glamour, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The sympathetic system is responsible for the fight-or-flight response, while the parasympathetic system activates the body’s rest-and-digest mode.
    Clarissa Brincat, Popular Science, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Those enormous sums of money flow to seemingly everyone except the student athletes.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 Oct. 2025
  • The sum that borrowers need to repay depends on several factors, including how expensive the colleges are, and whether borrowers had enough savings to pay tuition up front.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • If passed, the bill would force hundreds of dispensaries and smoke shops across the state to remove large portions of their inventory.
    Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Prices and inventory are subject to change.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Brown had five catches for 149 yards and three touchdowns, adding to an already impressive resume this season.
    Rich Barak, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Oct. 2025
  • In 2019, a South Bend Tribune investigation found Cummings had submitted a spotty resume to the district.
    Alexandra Hardle, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Summary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/summary. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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