summary

1 of 2

adjective

sum·​ma·​ry ˈsə-mə-rē How to pronounce summary (audio)
 also  ˈsəm-rē,
 or  -ˌmer-ē
1
: comprehensive
especially : covering the main points succinctly
2
a
: done without delay or formality : quickly executed
a summary dismissal
b
: of, relating to, or using a summary proceeding
a summary trial
summarily adverb

summary

2 of 2

noun

sum·​ma·​ry ˈsə-mə-rē How to pronounce summary (audio)
 also  ˈsəm-rē
plural summaries
: an abstract, abridgment, or compendium especially of a preceding discourse
Choose the Right Synonym for summary

concise, terse, succinct, laconic, summary, pithy, compendious mean very brief in statement or expression.

concise suggests the removal of all that is superfluous or elaborative.

a concise description

terse implies pointed conciseness.

a terse reply

succinct implies the greatest possible compression.

a succinct letter of resignation

laconic implies brevity to the point of seeming rude, indifferent, or mysterious.

an aloof and laconic stranger

summary suggests the statement of main points with no elaboration or explanation.

a summary listing of the year's main events

pithy adds to succinct or terse the implication of richness of meaning or substance.

a comedy sharpened by pithy one-liners

compendious applies to what is at once full in scope and brief and concise in treatment.

a compendious dictionary

Examples of summary in a Sentence

Adjective a summary account of the accident obviously a one-volume encyclopedia can offer only a very summary account of the American Civil War Noun He concluded the report with a brief summary. They gave a summary of their progress in building the bridge.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
In McCarthy’s Central Valley congressional district, the most Republican in the Golden State, many residents fumed about the summary political execution of California’s first Republican speaker of the House. Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2023 By the occupying Nazis' decree, any assistance to Jews was punished with summary execution. Monika Scislowska, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2023 April 3 — Ukraine discovers Russian atrocities in Bucha Russia's hasty retreat from Kyiv's suburbs revealed evidence of summary executions, beheadings, torture, rape, and other atrocities. Peter Weber, The Week, 25 Aug. 2023 Within Ukraine, those consequences would have been awful—show trials, summary executions, and all the mayhem visited upon the areas that Russia did manage to occupy. Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 14 Feb. 2023 The website Transfermarkt provides summary valuation of league squads, and currently values MLS players at $1.3 billion, compared with $11.3 billion for the English Premier League, $5.1 billion for La Liga, $4.9 billion for Serie A and $4.6 billion for the Bundesliga. Stefan Szymanski, Fortune, 7 June 2023 In expressing a summary view of the application process, Sarah Markhovsky, director of admissions at Greenhill School, says the most important thing for parents to know is that most private schools generally engage in a holistic view of every application. Dallas News, 2 Oct. 2020 The campaign's summary notes how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's director, Robert Redfield, contacted his counterpart in China and offered to send U.S. experts to aid its investigation on Jan. 3. Katherine Doyle, Washington Examiner, 23 Apr. 2020 Local health departments also can access summary disease reports. Rachel Dissell, cleveland, 6 Apr. 2020
Noun
Eyewitnesses detailed a range of coercive methods employed by the RSF to compel individuals to join their ranks, including intimidation, torture, summary execution and the withholding of food and medical aid. Pallabi Munsi, CNN, 19 Mar. 2024 Here is a summary of key events in the rise of Novo Nordisk. Bruce Gil, Quartz, 17 Mar. 2024 Its summary and conclusion imply that Ceasefire was continuously watered down starting in 2016 — but even Ersie Joyner III, a member of the California Partnership for Safe Communities team that compiled the audit, disagrees with that. Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 He is also accused of transmitting sensitive documents about hypersonic equipment and summaries of U.S. military drills in August 2022. Robert Legare, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2024 In its daily summary of conditions in Washington, the National Weather Service seemed to call the roll of almost all the ways of being wet. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 Craft a book summary along with questions to drive positive change. Julie Kratz, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Features for creating summaries and turning hours-long videos into five-minute highlight clips will take this even further, potentially eliminating the need for employees to join those lengthy town hall meetings altogether. Sage Lazzaro, Fortune, 29 Feb. 2024 Here’s a blend of advice, direct quotes, and summaries from finance professionals on navigating this path effectively. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'summary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Medieval Latin summarius, from Latin summa sum

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1509, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of summary was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near summary

Cite this Entry

“Summary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/summary. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

summary

1 of 2 adjective
sum·​ma·​ry ˈsəm-ə-rē How to pronounce summary (audio)
1
: expressing or covering the main points briefly : concise
a summary account
2
: done without delay or formality : quickly carried out
a summary dismissal
summarily
(ˌ)sə-ˈmer-ə-lē
adverb

summary

2 of 2 noun
plural summaries
: a short statement of the main points (as in a book or report)

Legal Definition

summary

adjective
sum·​ma·​ry ˈsə-mə-rē How to pronounce summary (audio)
: done immediately, concisely, and without usual formal procedures
especially : used in or done by summary proceeding compare plenary
summarily adverb

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