Concise
kun-SYSE
/kənˈsaɪs/
Expressing much in few words; clear, succinct, and free from unnecessary elaboration.
Emphasizes efficiency and clarity, retaining all essential details without fluff, unlike 'brief' which might simply mean short in duration.
The story behind the word. The Romans knew the value of editing. Concisus meant literally 'pruned thoroughly' or 'cut down to size', formed from caedere (to cut). A concise email has had all its linguistic hedges and dead wood cleanly sliced away.
Word relationships
- succinct: 'Succinct' carries a connotation of tightly packed clarity, while 'concise' emphasizes trimming unnecessary words.
- terse: 'Terse' often implies unpleasant brevity or brusqueness, whereas 'concise' is always positive and polite.
- verbose: 'Verbose' means using far too many words, the direct opposite of 'concise'.
- wordy: 'Wordy' implies rambling or unneeded length.
Commonly confused with
- precise: 'Precise' means exact and accurate, whereas 'concise' means short and to the point.
Word family
- conciseness (noun): The quality of being brief and comprehensive.
- concisely (adverb): In a brief and clear manner.
Collocations
- concise summary
- concise language
- clear and concise
- concise explanation
Example sentences
- "Keeping your email concise ensures busy managers can grasp the key points instantly." Executive summary guidelines
- "Strive for a concise writing style that eliminates filler words without sacrificing meaning." Style guide instructions
Memory hook
CONCISE sounds like SCISSORS trimming away useless extra words. Cut away the fluff.
When not to use
Do not use to describe an incomplete or abruptly cut-off message that leaves out vital information.
Fun facts
- The Latin root caedere (to cut) in 'concise' also gave us 'scissors', 'incision', and 'decision'.
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