Word
succinct
Phoneticssuc·cinct, stress on the second syllable
US/səkˈsɪŋkt/
UK/səksˈɪŋkt/
Definition
adj. describing something that is short and to the point. You use this when someone says exactly what they need to without extra words.
adj. expressing something clearly and briefly without unnecessary words. Often used to describe writing, speech, or summaries that achieve maximum clarity with minimal length.
Examples
“The lawyer gave a succinct answer to the judge's question.”
“The report was so succinct that it took only ten minutes to read the entire thing.”
“While the initial proposal was overly verbose, the revised version was a succinct document that captured the project's goals in just three pages.”
Examples
simple
“The lawyer gave a succinct answer to the judge's question.”
contextual
“The report was so succinct that it took only ten minutes to read the entire thing.”
complex
“While the initial proposal was overly verbose, the revised version was a succinct document that captured the project's goals in just three pages.”
Real-World Examples
“You can speak naturally to it and the system will remove your ums and ers and other deviations to produce a succinct, fully formed sentence or paragraph.” “It struck a chord with Mikel Arteta, which everybody in the room for his press conference to preview Sunday’s home game against Chelsea could feel because it moved him out of succinct answer territory.” Etymology
From Middle English succinte, succynt, from Old French succinct, from Latin succinctus, perfect passive participle of succingō (“gird from below”), from sub + cingō (“gird, wrap, surround”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- 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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englishreference.com/q/succinct