brief you

USAGE SUMMARY

"brief you" can be used in written English.
It usually means to provide someone with a summary or overview of something. For example, "The boss asked me to brief him on the company's financial situation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

"They do brief you beforehand," Federer said.

The New York Times - Sports

In brief, you have to embrace the craziness to make the music sound sane.

The New Yorker

With such a weak grasp of your brief you don't deserve to be a minister.

The Guardian

And I have no new events to brief you with today.

The New York Times

In Brief: You can't recreate an existing company's culture from scratch.

Stanford University

In brief, you should think of it as largely taking the form of bank-to-bank lending.

The New York Times

It needs to be brief enough to read through quickly, but not so brief you cannot sell yourself in it.

The Economist

"I was just wanting to brief you on what's going on and maybe you can help please!

The New Yorker

Put yourself in their hands: they can brief you on your choices and take charge of your meal.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

A C.I.A. officer briefs you at 7 a.m".

The New York Times

In between researching briefs, you follow the boomlet in Wentworth studies.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider your audience when deciding on the level of detail to include in your briefing. Tailor the information to their existing knowledge and needs.

Common error

Avoid overwhelming your audience by trying to cover too much ground when you "brief you". Focus on the most essential points and offer additional details only if requested.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "brief you" functions primarily as a verb phrase, where "brief" acts as a transitive verb meaning 'to give concise instructions or information to', and "you" is the direct object. Ludwig shows examples of this direct and actionable use.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Academia

25%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "brief you" is a versatile and frequently used phrase meaning to provide someone with a concise overview or update. As Ludwig AI confirmed, it's grammatically sound and appears across various contexts, from news and academic writing to wikis. While generally neutral in tone, it's important to tailor your message to your audience and avoid overwhelming them with unnecessary details. Consider alternatives like "update you" or "fill you in" for specific nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Update you

Focuses on providing the latest information.

Inform you

A more general term for providing information.

Fill you in

Suggests providing missing details or background information.

Give you the rundown

Implies a quick and informal summary.

Give you a summary

Highlights the concise nature of the information.

Advise you

Suggests providing guidance or recommendations.

Apprise you of

A more formal way of saying 'inform you of'.

Tell you about

A very general way of introducing information.

Explain to you

Focuses on making something clear and understandable.

Walk you through

Implies a step-by-step explanation or demonstration.

FAQs

How can I use "brief you" in a sentence?

You can use "brief you" to offer a summary or overview of a topic. For example, "Let me brief you on the project's current status" or "I'd like to brief you on the latest developments".

What's a more formal alternative to "brief you"?

A more formal alternative to "brief you" is to "apprise you of", which suggests a more official or important piece of information being conveyed.

What can I say instead of "brief you" to sound more casual?

For a more casual tone, consider using "fill you in" or "give you the rundown". These options are less formal and suitable for everyday conversation.

Is there a difference between "brief you" and "briefed you"?

"Brief you" is an offer or intention to provide information, whereas "briefed you" indicates that the briefing has already taken place. For example, "I will brief you tomorrow" versus "I briefed you yesterday".