1
as in shortness
the condition of being short
the best quality a graduation speech can have is brevity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of brevity
For all its visual brevity, minimalist fashion isn’t always totally effortless to pull off.
—
Christina Pérez, Vogue, 10 May 2025
Here are a few excerpts, edited and condensed for clarity and brevity.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2025
Editor's note: The interview with Felipe Alvarez was done in Spanish and has been translated and edited for brevity.
—Laura Barrero, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025
Here is that conversation, which has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
—Josh Robbins, New York Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for brevity
Christina Pérez, Vogue, 10 May 2025
Here are a few excerpts, edited and condensed for clarity and brevity.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2025
Editor's note: The interview with Felipe Alvarez was done in Spanish and has been translated and edited for brevity.
—Laura Barrero, Axios, 31 Mar. 2025
Here is that conversation, which has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
—Josh Robbins, New York Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for brevity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brevity
concision
Noun
-
Also taken from the pair’s time in TV comedy is concision.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
4 Apr. 2025
-
This interview has been edited for clarity and concision.—
Maya Silver,
Outside Online,
20 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brevity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brevity. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share