briefing
Americannoun
-
Military. a short, factual oral summary of the details of a current or projected military operation given to the participants or observers.
-
any set of concise instructions or a summary of events.
noun
-
a meeting at which detailed information or instructions are given, as for military operations, etc
-
the facts presented during such a meeting
Etymology
Origin of briefing
Explanation
If you plan on going to the briefing at the White House, you'd better bring your audio recorder. These informational sessions can get very detailed, and you'll need to review the audio record. When a lawyer appears before a court, they bring with them a "brief," a detailed explanation of their case that's anything but brief. This brief is a sort of briefing for the judge on the details of the case. Whenever you give someone a detailed explanation or set of instructions about something, it's a briefing. Briefing is the noun form of the word brief. The White House press corps meets in the "briefing room" to get briefed on the news of the president's day.
Vocabulary lists containing briefing
State of the Union Address 2016
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!
This Week In Words: November 28–December 4, 2020
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!
"The Evolution of a Great Idea"
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!
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.
His remarks came during a PwC briefing that highlighted a survey on how U.S. business leaders are navigating the second Trump administration.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was equally optimistic about the deal in a Pentagon briefing Wednesday.
From Salon • Apr. 8, 2026
During his briefing to the Police Commission on Tuesday, McDonnell said roughly 8% of the department’s employees are unavailable to work because they are on sick leave or other work restrictions.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
Central Intelligence Agency director John Ratcliffe went on to praise the mission’s “flawless execution” during the briefing.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
When that first afternoon briefing ended I sat outside with Sam Begay and Bill McCabe, one of the code talker teams who’d already seen combat.
From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac
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.
