Synonyms of terse
14 similar words · 10 opposite words
Another word for terse is concise. Other synonyms of terse are short-spoken, laconic, taut, abrupt and lapidary. The opposite of terse is verbose.
Synonyms and similar words for terse
adjectiveOf speech or style: brief, concise, to the point.
- conciseBrief, yet including all important information.
- succinctOf speech or writing: brief and to the point; concise.
- brief
- crisp
- laconicOf speech or writing, communicative through the use of as few words as possible.
- lapidaryOf a piece of writing or a writing style: characteristic of or suitable for an inscription; embodying the precision and...
- short-winded
- tight
- to the point
- tautOf music, writing, etc., containing only relevant parts; brief and controlled.
adjectiveOf manner or speech: abruptly or brusquely short; curt.
- abruptCurt in manner.
- brusque
- mardy dialectalNon-cooperative, bad-tempered or terse in communication; grumpy.
- short-spokenSharp and curt in one's speech; terse.
Opposite of terse
adjectiveOf speech or style: brief, concise, to the point.
- prolixTediously lengthy; dwelling on trivial details.
- verboseContaining or using more words than necessary; long-winded, wordy.
- wordyUsing an excessive number of words.
- circumlocutoryCharacterised by circumlocution; overly wordy.
- diffuse
- periphrastic
- palaverousVerbose; wordy.
- pleonastic
- rigmaroleCharacterized by rigmarole; prolix; tedious.
- sesquipedalianPertaining to or given to the use of overly long words.
Meaning of terse
- adjective Of speech or style: brief, concise, to the point.
- adjective Of manner or speech: abruptly or brusquely short; curt.
- adjective Burnished, polished; fine, smooth; neat, spruce.
terse in other languages
Questions about synonyms of terse
- What is another word for terse?
- Terse has 14 synonyms on Word.ws, such as concise, short-spoken, laconic, taut, abrupt, lapidary, tight and brief.
- What is the opposite of terse?
- The opposite of terse is verbose. Other antonyms of terse are prolix, sesquipedalian, wordy and rigmarole.
- What does terse mean?
- Terse means of speech or style: brief, concise, to the point.
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: terse (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Cite this page: “Synonyms of terse.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/terse. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.