1
as in concise
marked by the use of few words to convey much information or meaning
a brief but crucial admonition to keep quiet
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Relevance
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2
as in short
not lasting for a considerable time
fortunately, the meeting was brief
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3
as in flash
lasting only for a short time
a brief flash of light
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1
as in summary
a short statement of the main points
a one-page brief of the intelligence report
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2
as in mission
a specific task with which a person or group is charged
the soldiers' brief was to secure the village from enemy attacks
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1
as in to inform
to give information to
the lieutenant briefed his superior officers on the state of the enemy's fortifications
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2
as in to summarize
to make into a short statement of the main points (as of a report)
his duties include briefing intelligence reports for the president
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of brief
Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
But while the country is entering a brief period of limbo, one thing is all but certain.
—David Moscrop, TIME, 12 Jan. 2025
Ellen Knickmeyer, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2025
The state has taken two to four years to issue birth center licenses, according to a brief by the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the UC San Francisco.
—Ronnie Cohen, Sacramento Bee, 8 Jan. 2025
Aamer Madhani The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 11 Jan. 2025
Dozens of high-profile amicus briefs from organizations, members of Congress and President-elect Donald Trump were filed supporting both the government and ByteDance.
—Cj Haddad, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for brief 
Adjective
Cameras caught Trump and Pence shake hands and exchange brief words before the start of the service at the Washington National Cathedral.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
But while the country is entering a brief period of limbo, one thing is all but certain.
—David Moscrop, TIME, 12 Jan. 2025
Noun
The Justice Department’s brief earlier this week said that the government would be irreparably harmed if the guilty pleas were accepted for Mohammed and the two co-defendants in the Sept. 11 attacks.
—Ellen Knickmeyer, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2025
The state has taken two to four years to issue birth center licenses, according to a brief by the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the UC San Francisco.
—Ronnie Cohen, Sacramento Bee, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
The designation comes under a sanctions authority approved during Russia's 2014 invasion and annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula, according to administration officials who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House.
—Aamer Madhani The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 11 Jan. 2025
Dozens of high-profile amicus briefs from organizations, members of Congress and President-elect Donald Trump were filed supporting both the government and ByteDance.
—Cj Haddad, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for brief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brief
Adjective
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Effective Communication Effective leadership always involves clear and concise communication.Chris Williams, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
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Asking other people clear, concise questions can show empathy or establish your credibility, communication expert Matt Abrahams told CNBC Make It last year.Megan Sauer, CNBC, 13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The association noted that some members may be interested in the shorter workweek but may be hesitant.Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 16 Jan. 2025
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While a majority of shelter animals only stay a short while, this pup is different: He’s been a shelter resident for three years.TJ Macias, Miami Herald, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The German figures come a day before the scheduled release of flash inflation data for the euro area, which will be closely watched by investors for guidance on the odds of another interest rate cut from the European Central Bank.Sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2024
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Residents who live near the intersection where the accident occurred said the flash mobs of street takeovers have become weekly occurrences in their neighborhood.Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2022
Noun
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Project construction, once set to begin in 2024 and finish in 2026, is now estimated to start this month, according to the grant summary.Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Jan. 2025
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On Wednesday, Ada County District Judge Steven Hippler issued an order sealing the full list, according to a public case summary.Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 11 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Elon Musk’s company won contracts in 2021 and 2022 to develop a Starship human landing system—a lunar lander modeled on its Starship spaceship—for NASA’s Artemis III and IV missions.Jamie Carter, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
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The indigenous technology, crucial for satellite servicing, space station operations, and interplanetary missions, positions India to play a significant role in the commercial and exploratory frontiers of space.Reuters, NBC News, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Morningstar informs us that the SPDR Bloomberg High Yield fund has averaged a total return (coupons plus price changes) of 5.1% a year, three points better than the return on the Vanguard all-purpose fund that owns only higher quality debt.William Baldwin, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
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For democracies like India and the United States, these tools can be transformative in informing citizens and safeguarding public discourse.Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Baltimore Sun, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Tools that can answer questions, summarize content, and help users navigate complex information will be game-changers.Lutz Finger, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
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These include the ability to generate images with AI models, summarize local documents, and ask an AMD chatbot questions about graphics settings and more.Tom Warren, The Verge, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The John McDonough creation, which has ignited a slew of copycats since the inaugural fan fest in 1986, is a marketing tool like no other, changing little over the years.Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2025
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His production was especially encouraging given how little UCLA has gotten from its two big men, prompting Cronin to play him a season-high 27 minutes.Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Brief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brief. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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