Word
pithy
US/ˈpɪθi/
UK/pˈɪθi/
Definition
adj. short and clear, but full of meaning or clever ideas. You use it for comments or writing that says a lot in few words.
adj. concise and forcefully expressive, conveying much meaning in few words. Typically describes remarks, summaries, or pieces of writing.
Examples
“She gives short, pithy answers in meetings.”
“The coach ends practice with a pithy reminder: work hard and support each other.”
“His review was pithy yet fair, capturing the novel's ambition and flaws in a single paragraph that readers quoted for weeks.”
Examples
simple
“She gives short, pithy answers in meetings.”
contextual
“The coach ends practice with a pithy reminder: work hard and support each other.”
complex
“His review was pithy yet fair, capturing the novel's ambition and flaws in a single paragraph that readers quoted for weeks.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “pithy” in context.
Verb
01. keep pithy
“Keep your introduction pithy and avoid unnecessary background detail.”
verb + adj
02. make pithy
“She made her feedback pithy but constructive for the whole team.”
verb + adj
03. pithy captures
“His best pithy captures the mood of post-war Britain perfectly.”
adj as noun + verb
04. pithy sums up
“Her final pithy sums up the entire debate in a single line.”
adj as noun + verb + prep
Adjective
05. characteristically pithy
“His response was characteristically pithy and left the audience laughing.”
adv + adj
06. delightfully pithy
“The review was delightfully pithy without losing critical depth.”
adv + adj
Noun
07. pithy comment
“He made a pithy comment that silenced his critics.”
adj + noun
08. pithy observation
“The essay opens with a pithy observation on modern city life.”
adj + noun
09. pithy remark
“She closed with a pithy remark about power and responsibility.”
adj + noun
10. pithy summary
“He gave a pithy summary of the 300-page report.”
adj + noun
11. keep it short and pithy
“My advice is to keep it short and pithy for maximum impact.”
12. pithy and to the point
“His feedback on the draft was pithy and to the point.”
Real-World Examples
“Photograph: Carlos Fernandes The justifications for political violence here are presented in pithy summaries, via English surtitles: “It is not enough to be against, you must act against,” says one character.” “He also hid behind pithy soundbites, but even some of these, including the "surface" quote at the start, were reputedly fed to him by others, with Warhol simply agreeing with the statement.” “In a clear, pithy style, Ms. Ashton wrote both sweeping histories and intimate studies devoted to individual artists.” “And yet, the opposite trend is at work, Kuper argues, with social media promoting more memorable, pithy writing.” Etymology
From Middle English pithy, pythy, equivalent to pith + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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