summary

American  

[suhm-uh-ree] / ˈsʌm ə ri /

noun

plural

summaries

1. a comprehensive and usually brief abstract, recapitulation, or compendium of previously stated facts or statements.

   Synonyms:

   précis, outline

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adjective

1. brief and comprehensive; concise.

   Synonyms:

   succinct, compact, condensed, short

2. direct and prompt; unceremoniously fast.

   to treat someone with summary dispatch.

   Synonyms:

   brusque, terse, curt

3. (of legal proceedings, jurisdiction, etc.) conducted without, or exempt from, the various steps and delays of a formal trial.

summary British  

/ ˈsʌmərɪ /

noun

1. a brief account giving the main points of something

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adjective

1. performed arbitrarily and quickly, without formality

   a summary execution

2. (of legal proceedings) short and free from the complexities and delays of a full trial

3. the right a court has to adjudicate immediately upon some matter arising during its proceedings

4. giving the gist or essence

Related Words

Summary, brief, digest, synopsis are terms for a short version of a longer work. A summary is a brief statement or restatement of main points, especially as a conclusion to a work: a summary of a chapter. A brief is a detailed outline, by heads and subheads, of a discourse (usually legal) to be completed: a brief for an argument. A digest is an abridgment of an article, book, etc., or an organized arrangement of material under heads and titles: a digest of a popular novel; a digest of Roman law. A synopsis is usually a compressed statement of the plot of a novel, play, etc.: a synopsis of Hamlet.

Other Word Forms

• summarily adverb
• summariness noun

Etymology

Origin of summary

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin summārium, equivalent to summ(a) “sum” + -ārium noun suffix; sum, -ary

Example Sentences

In May 2024, Google introduced AI Overviews—short, AI generated summaries that often appear at the top of search results.

From The Wall Street Journal

Now, with new appeals, the tool creates a summary of the arguments and a chronology of key events, as well as maps out a framework for making a decision.

From The Wall Street Journal

In summary, the SPX chart is positive, but the failure to rise after new highs were made is disappointing.

From MarketWatch

Equally important, statistical summaries also aren’t likely to change people’s minds.

From Barron's

Publishers have lost once-reliable traffic from Facebook, which has news content, and Google, which increasingly offers AI summaries on its search page.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• analysis
• essence
• outline
• prospectus
• recap
• rehash
• review
• rundown
• sketch
• survey
• synopsis
• version