Definition

The quality of being brief and concise in speech or writing.

Example

Her terseness in the meeting made it clear that she wanted to get to the point quickly.

Conversation

I noticed your emails have a certain terseness to them lately.

Yeah, I’ve been trying to keep things brief and to the point.

I get that, but sometimes a little extra detail helps the conversation.

True, I’ll try to balance it better next time.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Terseness → It is formed from "tersus" (from Latin, meaning polished or neat) and the suffix "-ness" (meaning the state or quality of). The word "terseness" refers to the quality of being concise and to the point, reflecting a neatness in expression.

Memory Tip

Think of 'tersus' meaning polished or neat, which helps you remember that 'terseness' refers to the quality of being concise and clear.

Visually Confused Words