Definitions

terse

[turs] / tɜrs /

ADJECTIVE

brief, short

Synonyms

STRONGEST

brusque concise cryptic curt elliptical incisive laconic pithy precise succinct trenchant

WEAK

abrupt aphoristic boiled down breviloquent clear-cut clipped close compact compendiary compendious condensed crisp cut to the bone epigrammatic exact gnomic in a nutshell lean neat pointed sententious short and sweet snappy summary taut to the point

Antonyms

STRONGEST

gentle kind lengthy long-winded nice polite verbose wordy

WEAK

prolix

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Designer Rob Janoff said that Apple cofounder Steve Jobs gave him one terse instruction when he commissioned a new logo in January 1977: "don't make it cute".

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

The legal case is only getting going, she says, yet an “impatient” Court has produced “a terse, tonally dismissive ruling designed to conclusively resolve the dispute.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

Epstein mostly fires back terse, business-like, poorly punctuated replies - if any.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026

More forms and records gathered sooner means fewer terse emails from your grouchy accountant — and less time waiting for your refund.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 17, 2026

He was more terse than usual and looked at me frantically whenever someone asked him a question.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Vocabulary lists containing terse

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