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Synonyms

briefcase

American  
[breef-keys] / ˈbrifˌkeɪs /

noun

  1. a flat, rectangular case with a handle, often of leather, for carrying books, papers, etc.

briefcase British  
/ ˈbriːfˌkeɪs /

noun

  1. a flat portable case, often of leather, for carrying papers, books, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of briefcase

1925–30; brief (noun) + case 2

Compare meaning

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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.

An armored vehicle moved it—or rather moved Ridge, who was handcuffed to a metal briefcase holding the formula—from one bank vault to another in 2018.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026

He carried a script he was writing in a slim briefcase, which he’d shuttle back and forth from the brand-new Starbucks down the street.

From Salon • Nov. 23, 2025

Seemingly new to the job, POTUS, presented as a level-headed leader, has been barely briefed on the workings of the nuclear football and asks the aide carrying the briefcase to run down the responses.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2025

The first thing to note is that it will be Rachel Reeves holding that briefcase for the second time on 26 November.

From BBC • Sep. 6, 2025

It’s not till we reach the bottom of the briefcase that we find a manila folder so thin it looks empty.

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.