terse
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.
See Examples For:
True to his character, he replied with a terse but eloquent text.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
The minutes were shorter but not as terse as some economists feared, though some of the description of the discussions seemed truncated.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
In rare cases, their votes are revealed in terse indications that they grant or deny the application, or even more rarely, as an opinion.
From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2026
Maresca can often come across as distant and terse when dealing with the media.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
The terse whispered exchange with Ofglen, on our walk today, hardly counts; but it was a tease, a preliminary.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
Not exactly a warm embrace of the new Warsh Fed: terser “just the facts” statements, shorter news conferences, no forward guidance, and a no-nonsense message that there’s a new sheriff in town.
From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, whom I asked separately, had a terser response: “I’m gonna leave that to the medics.”
From Slate ● May 16, 2023
Some of his friends noticed a change in his writing style — a change that one scholar later described as a departure from “sustained argument and prolonged reflection” to a terser “telegram style.”
From Washington Post ● Dec. 29, 2022
His answers to questions have become terser, his mood darker.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 20, 2017
The sentence is as complete in substance, and far terser in form, when it reads "An essential in cashing a check is that you should indorse it."
From The Century Vocabulary Builder by Joseph M. (Joseph Morris) Bachelor
The tersest analysis of Christie’s entry in the race has come from Christie’s target, Trump.
From Slate ● Jun. 7, 2023
A man crying also furnishes the Bible with its shortest, tersest line: “Jesus wept.”
From The New Yorker ● Oct. 4, 2018
During a post-debate gaggle, the tersest Gillespie got was when a reporter tried to get clarity on whether he plans to invite Trump to the state.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 21, 2017
Mr. Tillerson is in many ways the personality opposite of Mr. Kerry: When asked a hard question he will offer the tersest answer possible, rather than attack with words.
From New York Times ● Apr. 12, 2017
The deep voice filled in the pause also in tersest English.
From Desert Love by Joan Conquest
Vocabulary lists containing terse
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Hunger Games
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 7
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
