Words / B1
adjective · B1Brief
BREEF/briːf/
Brief means short in time or in words. A brief meeting; a brief description. Short is the everyday adjective; brief sounds a little more formal and often refers to communication. As a noun, a brief is a set of instructions for a job. Briefly is the adverb: explain it briefly.
Meaning
Short in time or using few words.
Examples
- “Please keep your answers brief.”
- “He gave a brief summary of the news.”
- “Let’s keep this meeting brief.”
Good to know
a brief + noun. Adverb: briefly. Informal: short.
Near in meaning
short
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