1
as in shortness
the condition of being short
the best quality a graduation speech can have is brevity
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in concision
the quality or state of being marked by or using only few words to convey much meaning
if brevity is the soul of wit, then that speech wasn't at all witty
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brevity
Some responses are paraphrased for clarity or condensed for brevity.
—
Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
The conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
—Clay Chandler, semafor.com, 10 Apr. 2026
The Conversation has collaborated with SciLine to bring you highlights from the discussion, edited for brevity and clarity.
—Jerrid Kruse, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brevity
Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
The conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
—Clay Chandler, semafor.com, 10 Apr. 2026
The Conversation has collaborated with SciLine to bring you highlights from the discussion, edited for brevity and clarity.
—Jerrid Kruse, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brevity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brevity
Noun
-
How much of his life, his desperate desire for success, greatness, had been prompted by his shortness?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The team’s mean average height is 6-foot-4 due to the notable shortness of main rotation guards Tre Jones (6-foot-1) and Rob Dillingham (6-foot-2) and two-way guards Yuki Kawamura (5-foot-7) and Mac McClung (6-foot-2).—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Sombreness has seldom looked more suave or felt more disciplined; the storytelling is astounding in its concision, sometimes to a fault, as the characters’ rich personal histories are elided.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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All the sweeping expansiveness snaps shut with a sudden health crisis for Kristen, its onset signaled with masterful concision in a middle-of-the-night calamity that leaves her helpless.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.—
Mary Divine,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
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The conciseness, the visual satisfaction, and the crucial interplay between image and word makes reading a good graphic novel—or, in this case, graphic memoir—an electrifying, transporting experience.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brevity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brevity. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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