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Dictionary.com
Definitions

in a nutshell

ADJECTIVE
compact
Synonyms
STRONG
pointed
WEAK
boiled down compendious concise epigrammatic laconic make a long story short marrowy meaty pithy short and sweet succinct terse to the point
Antonyms
WEAK
big large lengthy long loose slack unabridged uncondensed
ADJECTIVE
concise
Synonyms
STRONGEST
pithy succinct terse
WEAK
abridged boiled down breviloquent brief compact compendiary compendious compressed condensed curt epigrammatic laconic lean marrowy meaty short and sweet summary synoptic
Antonyms
STRONGEST
lengthy long-winded wordy
WEAK
expansive long redundant repetitive
ADJECTIVE
pointed
Synonyms
STRONGEST
barbed incisive pertinent sarcastic sharp telling trenchant
STRONG
cutting insinuating keen
WEAK
accurate acid acute boiled down calling a spade a spade laid on the line legit meaty on the button on the nose pregnant right to it short-and-sweet tart
Antonyms
STRONGEST
gentle kind nice stupid
WEAK
calming mild soothing
ADJECTIVE
short
Synonyms
STRONGEST
abbreviated brief crisp precise shortened terse
STRONG
bare compressed condensed curtailed decreased diminished fleeting lessened little summarized summary
WEAK
aphoristic boiled down breviloquent compendiary compendious concise curtate cut short cut to the bone decurtate epigrammatic laconic momentary not protracted pithy sententious short and sweet short-term succinct undersized unprolonged unsustained
Antonyms
STRONGEST
enduring lasting lengthy
STRONG
long
WEAK
unabridged
ADJECTIVE
short and sweet
Synonyms
WEAK
brief compact concise condensed succinct summary
ADJECTIVE
succinct
Synonyms
STRONGEST
blunt concise curt pithy terse
WEAK
boiled down breviloquent brusque compact compendiary compendious condensed cut to the bone in few words laconic short summary
Antonyms
STRONGEST
lengthy long-winded polite wordy
ADJECTIVE
summary
Synonyms
STRONGEST
arbitrary cursory curt hasty succinct terse
STRONG
brief compact run through short
WEAK
boiled down breviloquent compacted compendiary compendious condensed laconic perfunctory pithy recapped rehashed run down short and sweet
Antonyms
STRONGEST
lengthy long-winded wordy
STRONG
large long unabridged
ADJECTIVE
terse
Synonyms
STRONGEST
brusque concise cryptic curt elliptical incisive laconic pithy precise succinct trenchant
WEAK
abrupt aphoristic boiled down breviloquent clear-cut clipped close compact compendiary compendious condensed crisp cut to the bone epigrammatic exact gnomic lean neat pointed sententious short and sweet snappy summary taut to the point
Antonyms
STRONGEST
gentle kind lengthy long-winded nice polite verbose wordy
WEAK
prolix
ADVERB
briefly
Synonyms
STRONGEST
shortly
WEAK
in brief in short succinctly summarily to sum things up
Antonyms
WEAK
at length long-windedly permanently verbosely

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"It will be Starmerism in a nutshell – an extraordinarily painful route to complete exoneration," they said.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

Dimon, in a nutshell, told him to stop lying on TV, according to people familiar with the conversation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

“That’s just Miller in a nutshell, like he’s always trying to help others,” said Pomerantz, one of the many volunteers at Moss’ youth football camp.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 26, 2025

What are the main revelations in a nutshell?

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2025

The answer in a nutshell: • If a that or a who comes before the verb, it’s plural: He’s one of the authors who say it best.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner