brief them about

USAGE SUMMARY

"brief them about" is a correct and widely used phrase in written English.
It can be used in a variety of contexts, but typically it means to give someone a short and concise explanation or overview about something. Example: As the project manager, it is your responsibility to brief them about the new company policies that will be implemented next week.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Donald Fehr, executive director of the players union, has been meeting with players to brief them about the status of talks.

The New York Times - Sports

Alan Johnson, the senior figure in the Labour Yes campaign, last week went along to the shadow cabinet to brief them about the prospects for the referendum.

The Guardian - Opinion

Passengers sitting in exit row seats are also allowed to board earlier so that flight attendants can brief them about safety and not have to wait until everyone has boarded to do so.

The New York Times

In an email to the BBC director of news Helen Boaden and her deputy Stephen Mitchell in August 2012, the Newsnight editor Peter Rippon asked if he should phone ITN to brief them about his handling of the Savile saga.

The Guardian

The prosecutor will make a presentation to the families and brief them about how the investigation has been conducted to date, what will happen during the trial and explain how they can make claims against Blackwater Worldwide.

The New York Times

Those union leaders — the presidents of Transport Workers Union Local 100 and Teamsters Local 237 — complained that the mayor's and comptroller's offices did not brief them about the proposed overhaul before it was announced two weeks ago, even though the union leaders are trustees on the city's largest pension plan.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

Mr. Papandreou, in turn, briefed them about Greek cabinet decisions on further state job cuts and other economic reforms, Greek officials said.

The New York Times

These people take orders from a complex apparatus that briefs them about what is permitted, orders changes or deletions to content, and punishes them.

The Guardian - Tech

But he admitted it would have been better to get the students' written consent after three of them complained that the BBC had not properly briefed them about the risks of the trip.

The Guardian

Then as if wanting to prove she was truly a hands-on producer, she threaded microphones under her guests' shirts while briefing them about the 106th episode of her half-hour talk show.

The New York Times

The prosecutor will make a presentation to the families as a group, he said, briefing them about how the investigation has been conducted to date, taking them through what will happen during the trial, and explaining how they can make claims against Blackwater.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "brief them about", ensure your subsequent explanation is concise and to the point. Overly lengthy explanations negate the purpose of a "brief"ing.

Common error

Avoid launching into extensive detail after stating you will "brief them about" something. If the topic requires extensive explanation, consider rephrasing your introduction to avoid misleading your audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "brief them about" functions as a phrasal verb used to indicate the act of providing someone with concise information or instructions concerning a particular subject. This is supported by the examples found by Ludwig, which show its utility in various professional and informational contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "brief them about" is a grammatically correct and relatively common phrase used to describe the act of concisely informing someone about a particular topic. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is suitable for various contexts, including news, science, and business. To ensure effective communication, it's crucial to maintain brevity after using this phrase. While alternatives like "inform them regarding" and "update them on" exist, "brief them about" provides a clear and direct way to indicate the provision of succinct information.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

inform them regarding

Uses "regarding" instead of "about" to specify the topic.

update them on

Focuses on providing the latest information.

advise them concerning

More formal, implies providing guidance or recommendations.

acquaint them with

Highlights introducing someone to new information or details.

apprise them of

More formal synonym for informing.

fill them in on

Informal way to say provide information.

give them the details of

Emphasizes providing specific information.

let them know about

Simple and direct way to communicate information.

tell them regarding

Very similar, replacing "brief" with "tell" and using "regarding".

notify them concerning

Emphasizes formal communication of important information.

FAQs

How can I use "brief them about" in a sentence?

You can use "brief them about" to indicate providing concise information, for example: "The manager will brief them about the project's progress".

What can I say instead of "brief them about"?

Alternatives include "inform them regarding", "update them on", or "advise them concerning" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "brief on" instead of "brief about"?

While "brief on" can sometimes be used, "brief about" is generally more common and natural-sounding when referring to the topic being discussed.

What is the difference between "brief them about" and "go into detail about"?

"Brief them about" suggests a short, concise explanation, while "go into detail about" implies a thorough, comprehensive discussion.