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
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” ( see 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.
"A waste of our time", and perhaps the most succinct reaction: "meh".
From BBC • May 11, 2026
Gunn was more succinct, showing his support with just a green heart emoji.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026
The correct and succinct answer, I would argue, is no.
From Salon • Feb. 22, 2026
Asked for his take on dealing with the cryptocurrency world, Cottrill was succinct.
From Barron's • Feb. 7, 2026
“An admirably succinct and accurate summary, yes,” said Dumbledore, bowing his head.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
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.
