terse 1 of 2

terseness

2 of 2

noun

as in concision
the quality or state of being marked by or using only few words to convey much meaning the terseness of my replies simply meant that I was too busy to talk at that time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 terse
Adjective
In the past, State Farm has been terse when describing reasons for hiking premiums. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025 The finished novel was published by Scribner’s in October 1926 to strong reviews and sales, with Hemingway’s terse style appealing to both highbrow literary circles and mainstream readers. Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025 These days, his main output is terse posts about his music projects on the upstart platform Bluesky. Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 9 July 2025 Udoka crossed paths with the conversation and lobbed a jab toward Curry, leading to a terse back-and-forth. Anthony Slater, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for terse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terse
Adjective
  • Notifying a third party, such as a different government agency, of a change-of-address is not considered clear and concise notification for tax purposes.
    Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Jamie Moraga, Franklin Revere NO: In-N-Out’s popularity is built on high-quality ingredients, a concise menu, limited presence across the country and strong brand values — not the location of its headquarters or its CEO.
    Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • This conversation has been edited for concision and clarity.
    Tom Teicholz, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
  • The conversation has been edited for concision and clarity.
    Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Adjective
  • This rare shadow transit is visible during a few brief windows every 15 years, when Saturn's rings are aligned edge-on with Earth.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 16 Aug. 2025
  • Millions of years ago, the environment there was still dominated by a dry season, but it was interrupted by a brief wet season.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Not surprisingly, given the risk of summary execution, many had initial doubts.
    Yossi Melman, ProPublica, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The young man risked beatings that would end in summary execution for sneaking in extra food to prisoners who were supposed to be the empire’s work-and-starve-to-death slaves.
    Charles Pellegrino, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Terse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terse. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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