Skip to main content
in brief

in brief

6 2.8
To say something in a few short words
  • idiom
  • /ɪn briːf/
translation icon : en resumen
  • In brief, the participants demonstrated different behaviors in resource use and ability enhancement.

And in brief, what I'm saying is we need to take the next step beyond what Galileo said.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • This is the news in brief.

  • And those qualities, in brief, are acceptance, presence, patience, vulnerability, and deep community.

  • In brief, from now on... the best of everything is good enough for me.

  • In this section, findings from the survey and focus group components of the project are presented in brief.

    Academic text (2002)
  • So that's the proposed case in brief.

  • In brief, it holds that there is an evolutionary basis for all social behavior.

    Academic text (1998)
  • In brief, the Whiskey Rebellion arose because the national government placed a tax on alcohol.

    Academic text (1993)
  • In brief, our findings are somewhat contradictory to popularly held views and journalistic assessments.

    Academic text (1998)
  • In brief, he describes seven different discrete intelligences, one of which is the bodily kinesthetic.

    Academic text (1993)
  • The report summarizes the findings of the study in brief.

Synonyms

briefly
vsin brief
414 1.0

For a short time or in a few words

is used to introduce a summary in few words rather than to mark time
in short
vsin brief
115 2.8

To give only the main facts

is a neutral form used to say things in few words not only summaries
so yeah
vsin brief
  • Slang
75 8.2

Shows a result or short conclusion after someone says something

is a neutral form used for summaries in few words not casual conclusions
in a nutshell
vsin brief
  • Informal
41 3.4

To say something briefly and clearly

is used to state something in a few words rather than only start summaries
that is to say
vsin brief
37 3.5

To say something more clearly

is used more to give a summary in few words rather than restate precisely
succinctly
vsin brief
20 5.5

In a short clear way using few words

is for introducing a summary in a few words, not merely for manner
to wit
vsin brief
  • Archaic
8 8.7

Introduces specific examples or details that follow

is used to state something overall in few words rather than to list specifics
concisely
vsin brief
6 4.4

In a clear, short way using few words

is used to introduce a summary in a few words instead of describing style
shortly
vsin brief
2 2.3

Using a few words

is used to introduce a summary phrase and to state things in few words
compactly
vsin brief
4.2

Using few clear words without extra detail

is more about giving a summary in few words rather than packing information tightly
i.e.
vsin brief
  • Formal
3.6

To explain something just mentioned more clearly, giving the exact meaning

is used for general summaries in few words rather than strict clarification

Antonyms

77 3.1

Give all important facts so someone understands

47 4.1

For a long time and in great detail, especially when speaking or writing

How Brief

in brief
6 2.8
concise
37 4.2
wordy
8 3.7
long-winded
18 5.8

Surface Forms

in brief positive
inbriefer comparative
in briefest superlative

Morphology

in + brief

The phrase 'in brief' is directly compositional: 'in' (indicating manner/condition) + 'brief' (using few words) yields the adverbial sense 'briefly' or 'in a few words'. This is a common, predictable English pattern and has clear parallels in other languages (e.g., French 'en bref'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The phrase in brief comes from the word brief, which means 'short', and from short notes or papers that gave only the main facts. So, in brief is used to say something 'in a few words' or 'to summarize'.