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 summary, these results suggest a very carbon-rich, oxygen-poor planetary atmosphere."

From Science Daily • Apr. 6, 2026

At their worst, they’re weird; in summary, they’re simply imperfect.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

So he began typing up a summary of the top headlines and stuffing copies in people’s mailboxes.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

In summary, the S&P 500’s oversold rally was sharp but appears to have ended short of the declining 20-day moving average.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

I seriously regret not reading the book, but JP read the whole thing and I bet he’s put up a summary already.

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

Related Words

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