Brief vs. Concise — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 29, 2023
Brief implies short duration or length; concise means expressing much in few words without losing clarity.
Difference Between Brief and Concise
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Brief often refers to something of short duration or length. Concise, however, emphasizes the efficient and clear expression of ideas in a few words.
A brief speech may simply be short in time. A concise speech is not only short but also devoid of superfluous details.
Briefness can pertain to time, length, or extent. Conciseness relates more to the compactness and succinctness of language.
To be brief, one might skip details. To be concise, one distills information to its essence without omitting crucial points.
Brief can describe clothing, a report, or a meeting. Concise typically describes speech, writing, or an explanation.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Focus
Shortness in time or length
Efficient and clear expression
Relation to Details
May skip details
Includes essential details succinctly
Common Usage
Duration, clothing, reports
Speech, writing, explanations
Implication
Short duration
Compactness in language
Objective
To be quick
To be clear and efficient
Compare with Definitions
Brief
A short and informative summary.
She gave a brief of the project's progress.
Concise
Expressing much in few words.
His speech was concise and to the point.
Brief
A type of short, tight underwear.
He preferred wearing briefs to boxers.
Concise
Brief but comprehensive writing.
She wrote a concise summary of the article.
Brief
Short in time, duration, length, or extent.
Concise
Expressing essential facts without redundancy.
The report was concise, covering all facts without repetition.
Brief
Succinct; concise
A brief account of the incident.
Concise
Clear and succinct explanation.
He gave a concise explanation of the complex theory.
Brief
Curt; abrupt
We were upset because he was so brief with us.
Concise
Concise is a municipality in the district of Jura-Nord Vaudois in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.
Brief
A short, succinct statement.
Concise
Giving a lot of information clearly and in a few words; brief but comprehensive
A concise account of the country's history
Brief
A condensation or an abstract of a larger document or series of documents.
Concise
Expressing much in few words; clear and succinct.
Brief
(Law) A document concisely stating the legal points being made, including often the citation and explanation of supporting legal authority.
Concise
Brief, yet including all important information
Brief
Roman Catholic Church A papal letter that is not as formal as a bull.
Concise
(obsolete) Physically short or truncated
Brief
A briefing.
Concise
To make concise; to abridge or summarize.
Brief
Often briefs Short, tight-fitting underpants.
Concise
Expressing much in a few words; condensed; brief and compacted; - used of style in writing or speaking.
The concise style, which expresseth not enough, but leaves somewhat to be understood.
Where the author is . . . too brief and concise, amplify a little.
Brief
Briefs Chiefly British The instructions that are given to explain a task or assignment.
Concise
Expressing much in few words;
A concise explanation
Brief
To give instructions or preparatory information to
Briefed the astronauts before the mission.
Concise
A style of communication that omits unnecessary words.
Her writing style is concise and effective.
Brief
To summarize.
Brief
Of short duration; happening quickly.
Her reign was brief but spectacular.
Brief
Concise; taking few words.
His speech of acceptance was brief but moving.
Brief
Occupying a small distance, area or spatial extent; short.
Her skirt was extremely brief but doubtless cool.
Brief
(obsolete) Rife; common; prevalent.
Brief
(legal) A writ summoning one to answer; an official letter or mandate.
Brief
(legal) An answer to any action.
Brief
(legal) A memorandum of points of fact or of law for use in conducting a case.
Brief
A position of interest or advocacy.
Brief
(legal) An attorney's legal argument in written form for submission to a court.
Brief
(English law) The material relevant to a case, delivered by a solicitor to the barrister who tries the case.
Brief
A short news story or report.
We got a news brief.
Brief
Underwear briefs.
I wear boxers under trousers but for sports I usually wear a brief.
Brief
(obsolete) A summary, précis or epitome; an abridgement or abstract.
Brief
A letter patent, from proper authority, authorizing a collection or charitable contribution of money in churches, for any public or private purpose.
Brief
(slang) A ticket of any type.
Brief
(transitive) To summarize a recent development to some person with decision-making power.
The U.S. president was briefed on the military coup and its implications on African stability.
Brief
To write a legal argument and submit it to a court.
Brief
Briefly.
Brief
Soon; quickly.
Brief
Short in duration.
How brief the life of man.
Brief
Concise; terse; succinct.
The brief style is that which expresseth much in little.
Brief
Rife; common; prevalent.
Brief
Briefly.
Adam, faltering long, thus answered brief.
Brief
Soon; quickly.
Brief
A short concise writing or letter; a statement in few words.
Bear this sealed brief,With winged hastle, to the lord marshal.
And she told meIn a sweet, verbal brief.
Brief
An epitome.
Each woman is a brief of womankind.
Brief
An abridgment or concise statement of a client's case, made out for the instruction of counsel in a trial at law. This word is applied also to a statement of the heads or points of a law argument.
It was not without some reference to it that I perused many a brief.
Brief
A writ issuing from the chancery, directed to any judge ordinary, commanding and authorizing that judge to call a jury to inquire into the case, and upon their verdict to pronounce sentence.
Brief
A letter patent, from proper authority, authorizing a collection or charitable contribution of money in churches, for any public or private purpose.
Brief
A type of men's underpants without legs, fitting tightly and held by an elastic waistband; also called Jockey shorts.
Brief
To make an abstract or abridgment of; to shorten; as, to brief pleadings.
Brief
A document stating the facts and points of law of a client's case
Brief
A condensed written summary or abstract
Brief
Give essential information to someone;
The reporters were briefed about the President's plan to invade
Brief
Of short duration or distance;
A brief stay in the country
In a little while
It's a little way away
Brief
Concise and succinct;
Covered the matter in a brief statement
Brief
(of clothing) very short;
An abbreviated swimsuit
A brief bikini
Brief
Lasting only a short time.
The meeting was brief, ending in just ten minutes.
Brief
A written legal argument.
The lawyer prepared a brief for the upcoming trial.
Brief
To give a summary of essential information.
The commander briefed the troops before the mission.
Common Curiosities
What does brief mean in terms of duration?
In terms of duration, brief means short-lived or lasting for a short time.
Is concise a style of writing?
Concise can describe a style of writing that is clear and succinct.
Is conciseness always about shortness?
Conciseness is more about expressing ideas efficiently, not just about being short.
What is a legal brief?
A legal brief is a written argument presented in a court case.
Can a document be both brief and concise?
Yes, a document can be both brief in length and concise in its expression.
How can one make a presentation brief?
A presentation can be made brief by limiting its duration and content.
Is 'brief' related to clothing?
Yes, 'brief' can refer to a type of short, snug underwear.
What defines a concise speech?
A concise speech is characterized by clarity and brevity, with no superfluous words.
Is a brief always concise?
Not necessarily. A brief can be short in length but not always concise in content.
Does concise imply completeness?
Concise implies completeness but in a compact and efficient manner.
Can brief be used as a verb?
Yes, 'to brief' means to give essential information or instructions.
What makes a report concise?
A report is concise when it conveys necessary information clearly with minimal words.
Can a concise text still be detailed?
Yes, a concise text can be detailed but without unnecessary elaboration.
Are all brief explanations clear?
Not all brief explanations are clear; they may lack essential details.
Does concise mean the same as succinct?
Concise and succinct are similar, both meaning expressing much with economy of words.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
