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Showing results for terse. Search instead for tersel.
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

As a protective mechanism, I developed a terse, cynical mode of speech that rebuffed those who sought to get too close to me.

From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.