short and sweet

American  

[shawrt uhn sweet] / ˈʃɔrt ən ˈswit /

idiom

1. pleasantly brief and relevant.

   We're in a hurry, so make it short and sweet.

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short and sweet More Idioms  

1. Satisfyingly brief and pertinent, as in When we asked about the coming merger, the chairman's answer was short and sweet—it wasn't going to happen. This expression was already proverbial in 1539, when it appeared in Richard Taverner's translation of Erasmus's Adagia. Over the years it was occasionally amplified, as in James Kelly's Scottish Proverbs (1721): “Better short and sweet than long and lax.”

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Etymology

Origin of short and sweet

First recorded in 1540–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

short and sweet

The film may be short and sweet, but its effects are everlasting.

From Salon ● Jun. 10, 2026

My question is short and sweet: Can these be written off on our tax return, or does the deduction go to the gift giver?

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 11, 2026

Rutte will be hoping that his first summit as secretary general will be short and sweet.

From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2025

“It could be short and sweet, like six months,” said Williams.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2024

It was short and sweet: Ash— I’m in big trouble.

From "Shelter (Book One): A Mickey Bolitar Novel" by Harlan Coben