brief phone call

USAGE SUMMARY

"brief phone call" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it in the context of a phone call that did not last long or is expected to not last long. For example, "I will receive a brief phone call while you wait."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They were each allowed a brief phone call.

The New York Times

In a brief phone call Thursday, Prince declined to comment.

The Washington Post

Stewart remembers a brief phone call, according to people familiar with her account.

The New Yorker

In a brief phone call, Mr. Williams referred all questions to Mr. Packard.

The New York Times

She confirmed in a brief phone call that she does not have a bachelor's degree.

The Washington Post

The next day, he let her have one brief phone call with her parents.

The Washington Post

"It was a brief phone call," said Jen Psaki, his chief spokesperson.

The Guardian

He had one brief phone call with her, but she never offered to take him back, he said.

The New York Times

In a brief phone call on Wednesday, Eric Trump declined to comment on his use of the term.

The Washington Post

A brief phone call or e‑mail can make all the difference in conveying that their contributions matter.

Harvard Business Review

Christine even has a brief phone call with her mother, but we don't really hear the maternal voice.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a phone call, specify its purpose or outcome to provide more context. For example, instead of just saying "a brief phone call", mention "a brief phone call to confirm the reservation".

Common error

Avoid solely relying on the adjective 'brief'. Supplement it with details about the call's nature, such as its intention or result, to offer a clearer picture to the reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "brief phone call" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "brief" modifies the noun "phone call". As Ludwig AI highlights, it describes the characteristic of the phone call, specifically its short duration.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "brief phone call" is a common and grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe a telephone conversation of short duration. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in various writing contexts. Predominantly found in news and media sources, the phrase serves to efficiently convey that a phone call was not lengthy. While versatile, consider supplementing "brief" with further context about the call's purpose or content to avoid redundancy and enhance clarity. Alternatives like "short telephone conversation" or "quick call" offer similar meanings with slight variations in formality or emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

short telephone conversation

Replaces "phone call" with a more descriptive noun phrase and maintains the emphasis on brevity.

quick call

Uses a more informal adjective to emphasize the speed of the call.

short call

Similar to 'quick call' but slightly more formal.

fleeting phone conversation

Emphasizes the transient nature of the call using 'fleeting'.

concise phone call

Highlights the call's brevity and directness.

short mobile conversation

Specifies 'mobile' and replace "phone call" with "conversation", adding context and replacing brevity with a general attribute.

abbreviated telephone call

Uses a more formal synonym for 'brief' and 'phone'.

cursory call

Implies a lack of thoroughness in addition to being short.

limited phone conversation

Focuses on the restricted scope or duration of the discussion.

speedy phone call

Emphasizes the speed and efficiency of the call.

FAQs

How can I use "brief phone call" in a sentence?

You can use "brief phone call" to describe a short telephone conversation. For example: "I had a "brief phone call" with my manager this morning" or "She only had time for a "brief phone call" before her meeting".

What's a more formal way to say "brief phone call"?

Alternatives such as "abbreviated telephone call" or "concise phone call" can be used in more formal contexts.

What can I say instead of "brief phone call"?

Depending on the context, you could use "quick call", "short call", or "fleeting phone conversation".

Is it redundant to say "brief phone call"?

While 'phone call' inherently implies a conversation, using 'brief' emphasizes the short duration of the conversation. It is not necessarily redundant if you want to specifically highlight the call's brevity.