What does "brevity" mean?
The quality of being brief in duration.
Brevity
/ˈbɹɛvɪti/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The quality of being brief in duration.
- Grammar: brevity is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: succinctness, transience, academic conciseness, baldness.
- Useful contrasts: academic enumeration, descriptive details, descriptive word usage.
- Usage evidence: When you send a telegram, brevity is essential because you will be charged for every word.
How to use "brevity"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "brevity" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "brevity" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "brevity" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "brevity" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "brevity" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "succinctness" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "brevity", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The quality of being brief in duration. uncountable
"Thanks to Global Positioning Systems we can see that Europe and North America are parting at about the speed a fingernail grows—roughly two yards in a human lifetime. If you were prepared to wait long enough, you could ride from Los Angeles all the way up to San Francisco. It is only the brevity of lifetimes that keeps us from appreciating the changes."
- 2 the attribute of being brief or fleeting wordnet
- 3 Succinctness; conciseness. uncountable
"[B]revity is the soul of wit, And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes[.]"
- 4 the use of brief expressions wordnet
- 5 A short piece of writing. countable, rare
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
academic enumerationdescriptive detailsdescriptive word usageexcessive wordiness
Example
"When you send a telegram, brevity is essential because you will be charged for every word."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "brevity"?
Common synonyms include: succinctness, transience, academic conciseness, baldness, brachylogy, briefness.
How do you use "brevity" in a sentence?
When you send a telegram, brevity is essential because you will be charged for every word.
How do you pronounce "brevity"?
Pronounced /ˈbɹɛvɪti/.
Etymology
First attested in English in 1509; either: * Borrowed directly from Latin brevitās; or * from Anglo-Norman brevité, from Old French brieveté, from Latin brevitātem, accusative of brevitās, from brevis (“short”). By surface analysis, brief + -ity.