nutshell
Americannoun
idioms
noun
-
the shell around the kernel of a nut
-
in essence; briefly
Etymology
Origin of nutshell
Explanation
The hard, protective covering of a nut is called a nutshell. If you hear someone say "in a nutshell," they are most likely summing something up in a few words. It's more common to refer to a nutshell as simply a shell. Most people use the word nutshell figuratively. When you say, "in a nutshell," you mean "to sum it up," or "to condense a large amount of information into one short sentence." For example you might say, "In a nutshell, The Odyssey is the story of a guy who went on a long boat trip."
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.
“In a nutshell, we think risks in private credit are significant,” the analysts wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026
In a nutshell, it is farewell number 18 as the Brazilian departs and hello number six - the crucial, modern defensive midfielder the Old Trafford club want to replace him with.
From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026
“In a nutshell we believe Microsoft is set to have a massive 2026 and the stock is a compelling buy at these levels,” the Wedbush team wrote.
From Barron's • Dec. 22, 2025
To sum up their misfortune in a nutshell, Bradley was taken off at half-time after a knock for Isak.
From BBC • Dec. 20, 2025
Gogol’s life, in a nutshell, was a steady decline into madness.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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.
