Definition

Noun: - The quality of being brief and clear: Conciseness refers to the quality of expressing much in few words, avoiding unnecessary details or wordiness. It is achieved by being direct and to the point in writing or speaking.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The conciseness of the report made it easy to understand the main points quickly.
  • Good technical writing values clarity and conciseness above all.
  • Her speech was praised for its remarkable conciseness and power.

Advanced Usage

• "For the sake of conciseness...": Used to explain why information is being summarized or omitted.
  • For the sake of conciseness, the detailed data tables have been moved to the appendix.
• Achieving conciseness: Often discussed as a skill or goal in communication.
  • Editing is crucial for achieving conciseness in your first draft.

Variants and Related Words

• Concise (adj): Expressing much in few words; clear and succinct.
  • Please provide a concise summary of the article.
• Concision (n): A synonym for conciseness, often used interchangeably, though sometimes considered a more formal variant.
  • The poet is known for the sharp concision of her verses.

Synonyms

• Brevity: Shortness of duration, especially in speech or writing.
• Succinctness: The quality of being expressed clearly and in a few words.
• Terseness: Sparing use of words, sometimes to the point of seeming abrupt.

Antonyms

• Verbosity: The quality of using more words than needed; wordiness.
• Prolixity: Extended to great, unnecessary, or tedious length; long-windedness.
• Diffuseness: The quality of being spread out and not concise; lacking conciseness.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• "Brevity is the soul of wit": A common saying (from Shakespeare) that emphasizes the value of being concise in clever or humorous speech.
• Precision and conciseness: Often paired as complementary ideals in effective communication, where being precise (accurate) supports being concise (brief).

Noun

1. terseness and economy in writing and speaking achieved by expressing a great deal in just a few words