When you send a telegram, brevity is essential because you will be charged for every word.
Source: tatoeba (1906)
Brevity
/ˈbɹɛvɪti/
Synonyms for "brevity" (73 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (15)
Noun(6 words)
Adjective(2 words)
concise expressionconcise writing
Strong matches (22)
Noun(8 words)
crispinesseditorial concisenessephemeralityfleetingnessignoreabilitylaconicismless verballymost unembellished
Adjective(2 words)
laconic phrasinglinguistic conciseness
Related words (36)
obmutescencepauciloquypithinesspointednessquietnessquietudereservesententiousnessshort timeshortnesssilencesparingness of wordsspeechlessnesssuccinctnesssummarinessswiftnesstaciturnitytersenesstransienceunloquaciousness
Show 2 more words
Noun(13 words)
parsimonyshort durationsparenesstautnesstemporal brevityterse styletersenessthe less the betterthe shorter the betterto the pointtransiencyunembellishmentunwording
Adjective(1 words)
succinct wording
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: succinctness, transience, academic conciseness, baldness, brachylogy.
- Sentence evidence is available for brevity, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, opengloss, wordnet, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "brevity".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "brevity"
Keep "brevity" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "brevity" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "brevity", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "brevity" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
5 entriesMore specific
4 entriesbrief intervalconcise wordingeconomy of languageshort window
Collocations
5 entriesacademic brevitybrevity and claritybrevity in writingbrevity of expressionlinguistic brevity
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
1 entriesSample sentences
13 total sentences available.
Brevity is the soul of wit.
Source: tatoeba (20962)
As touching the gods, I do not know whether they exist or not, nor how they are featured; for there is much to prevent our knowing: the obscurity of the subject and the brevity of human life.
Source: tatoeba (6203085)
In the brevity lies the power.
Source: tatoeba (7798566)
Showing 4 of 13 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "brevity"?
Closest matches include succinctness, transience, academic conciseness, baldness, brachylogy.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "brevity"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.