Terse

Terse means abruptly brief or concise, often to the point of rudeness or curtness. A terse communication lacks elaboration or unnecessary details, conveying information directly and efficiently, but potentially at the expense of politeness or completeness. It can be a useful style in situations where brevity is paramount and formality is less important, but its bluntness can sometimes be perceived negatively, particularly in contexts where diplomacy and rapport are valued. The meaning may depend a lot on context, situation, and culture.

Terse meaning with examples

• The manager's terse response to the employee's request—simply 'No'—left the team feeling dismissed and demoralized, highlighting how lack of explanation can frustrate staff.
• In an emergency situation, the pilot's terse instructions over the radio were crucial for guiding the rescue team to the crash site quickly and efficiently.
• The telegram was terse, containing only 'Arrived safely; all well,' which relieved his family after they had waited many hours to find out his situation.
• Although her emails are always terse, she makes up for this curtness when speaking in person, being sure to use gentle phrasing and kind language.
• His terse statement, 'We're done here,' ended the meeting abruptly and made his audience wonder what he would do next, as he hadn't stated the next steps.