succinct
Americanadjective
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characterized by conciseness or verbal brevity.
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compressed into a small area, scope, or compass.
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Archaic.
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drawn up, as by a girdle.
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encircled, as by a girdle.
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adjective
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marked by brevity and clarity; concise
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compressed into a small area
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archaic
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encircled by or as if by a girdle
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drawn up tightly; closely fitting
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Related Words
See concise.
Other Word Forms
- succinctly adverb
- succinctness noun
- unsuccinct adjective
Etymology
Origin of succinct
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin succinctus, past participle of succingere “to gird, gather up (one's clothes), prepare for action,” equivalent to suc- “under, beneath” ( suc- ) + cing(ere) “to gird, equip” + -tus past participle suffix
Explanation
Something that is succinct is short and clear. If you're going to be interviewed on television about your new book and only have a five minute slot, you'll need to come up with a succinct version of your story. Succinct, meaning "short and to the point," is from the Latin succingere, "to tuck up." Often after you write a long essay, you realize you probably could have said the same thing in one or two succinct pages. If something is too succinct, we might call it terse. Another synonym is concise, which implies that unnecessary material has been removed. It's the opposite of wordy.
Vocabulary lists containing succinct
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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List 2
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ASVAB Word Knowledge
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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.
When Rory McIlroy chatted to the great Jack Nicklaus for advice about the best way to defend his Masters title, he was given a succinct piece of advice.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
Gunn was more succinct, showing his support with just a green heart emoji.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026
Asked for his take on dealing with the cryptocurrency world, Cottrill was succinct.
From Barron's • Feb. 7, 2026
When Curt Cignetti arrived at Indiana as the latest coach charged with turning around the program with the most losses in college football history, he offered a succinct self-appraisal.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 10, 2026
“A brief summary and succinct explanation, the theoretical ideal, if you will, behind our position.”
From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen
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.
