summary

American  

[suhm-uh-ree] / ˈsʌm ə ri /

noun

plural

summaries

1. a comprehensive and usually brief abstract, recapitulation, or compendium of previously stated facts or statements.

   Synonyms:

   précis, outline

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adjective

1. brief and comprehensive; concise.

   Synonyms:

   succinct, compact, condensed, short

2. direct and prompt; unceremoniously fast.

   to treat someone with summary dispatch.

   Synonyms:

   brusque, terse, curt

3. (of legal proceedings, jurisdiction, etc.) conducted without, or exempt from, the various steps and delays of a formal trial.

summary British  

/ ˈsʌmərɪ /

noun

1. a brief account giving the main points of something

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adjective

1. performed arbitrarily and quickly, without formality

   a summary execution

2. (of legal proceedings) short and free from the complexities and delays of a full trial

3. the right a court has to adjudicate immediately upon some matter arising during its proceedings

4. giving the gist or essence

Related Words

Summary, brief, digest, synopsis are terms for a short version of a longer work. A summary is a brief statement or restatement of main points, especially as a conclusion to a work: a summary of a chapter. A brief is a detailed outline, by heads and subheads, of a discourse (usually legal) to be completed: a brief for an argument. A digest is an abridgment of an article, book, etc., or an organized arrangement of material under heads and titles: a digest of a popular novel; a digest of Roman law. A synopsis is usually a compressed statement of the plot of a novel, play, etc.: a synopsis of Hamlet.

Other Word Forms

• summarily
  adverb
• summariness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of summary

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin summārium, equivalent to summ(a) “sum” + -ārium noun suffix; see sum, -ary

Explanation

A summary gives a short overview, or the main points, of something longer. She talked for days about the 800-page romantic novel, but her boyfriend's summary was "Girl meets boy, boy meets girl, boy rides horse into sunset, girl meets new boy. The end." Summary is a noun, and "summery" is an adjective, but they sound alike and both describe something short. A summer feels like a short piece of a long year, and a summary is a short statement about a longer piece. When a long speech or writing needs retelling in a short amount of time, a summary conveys the meaning in fewer words. Often a book cover has a summary of what's inside, and an introduction has a summary of the main points in a chapter.

Example Sentences

“The King Is Dying” is all the plot summary that’s required.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

The summary report on this one decision spans 57 detailed slides of spreadsheets and flow charts.

From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026

In its summary, the panel also said the disputed facts “do not disprove the allegations of misconduct definitively.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

If not, this guide offers a simple summary of where the main parties stand on the issues most important to voters, based on the promises they have made during the campaign.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

I hastily open the summary and look it over.

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

Related Words

• analysis
• essence
• outline
• prospectus
• recap
• rehash
• review
• rundown
• sketch
• survey
• synopsis
• version