in brief

1. Also, in short; in a word. Concisely, in few words, to sum up. All three phrases usually precede or follow a summary statement, as in In brief, we didn't get much out of his speech, or There was no agenda; in short, they could discuss whatever they wanted to, or The sun was shining, the sky was clear—in a word, it was a beautiful day. The first expression dates from the early 1400s; in short dates from the 1300s but the present usage dates from the 1700s; the hyperbolic in a word (since there is nearly always more than one word) dates from the late 1500s.

Example Sentences

Meanwhile, war, politics and failed leadership can be glimpsed in brief interludes of news reports on Farsi’s television.

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The city has remained mostly calm in recent months, with protesters occasionally engaging in brief skirmishes with authorities stationed outside a U.S.

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“I want to be very clear with this board and this community that there’s nothing to negotiate,” Carvalho said in brief remarks after the announcement.

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“I don’t think I did anything wrong,” he said in brief remarks to local news reporters at a ribbon-cutting for a county road project.

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They have done so in brief orders with no explanation, prompting further criticism from Democrats and progressives.

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