try to be terse

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "try to be terse" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when advising someone to be concise or to express themselves in fewer words. Example: "In your report, try to be terse to maintain clarity." Alternative expressions include "aim for brevity" and "be concise."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Thanks for the kind words, I will try to be terse, too.

Biology Direct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

So instead I say a few terse lines that try to be friendly but are indeed probably a bit superior -- they do not tell funny anecdotes (I don't want the kinds of people who get in touch with me reading personal anecdotes!) The result has always been pitiful, and I mean pitiful, men getting in touch.

Huffington Post

"I was trying to be as emphatic as I could by just being terse," he continued.

The New York Times

Brill reports that he used Mayhew's editorial markings on the first few pages of "The Teamsters" as a teaching aid in a journalism class he gave at Yale. "I tried to teach the kids to be terse -- that's one of Alice's favorite words," he says.

The New York Times - Books

The rhythms of his speech are vaguely Midwestern, and his observations tend to be terse.

The New Yorker

Responses are expected to be terse: as much information and as little prose as possible.

The New York Times

Telegrams, for instance, were likely to be terse, if only for financial reasons.

The Guardian - Books

Each of these sections needed to be terse, as paper was expensive to print and ship.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Wilkinson himself used to be terse with sexual assault victims before he understood how trauma affects their behavior.

Huffington Post

The Ruby code tends to be terser than the Java code, and much more readable than Perl.

Ruby Developer's Guide

This is not your end-of-year report; your introduction should be terse and to the point.

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When providing feedback, "try to be terse" to avoid overwhelming the recipient with unnecessary details. Focus on the key points for effective communication.

Common error

Avoid excessive details when you "try to be terse". The goal is conciseness, not to strip essential information, which can lead to misunderstanding or ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "try to be terse" functions as an instruction or recommendation, advising someone to aim for conciseness in their communication. This often occurs in contexts where brevity enhances clarity and effectiveness, as supported by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "try to be terse" is a grammatically sound phrase used to advise conciseness in communication. As noted by Ludwig, it's most commonly found in news and media and science contexts, suggesting a neutral to professional register. While not overly frequent, the phrase is appropriate for encouraging brevity and clarity. Related phrases like "aim to be brief" or "endeavor to be concise" can offer alternative phrasing to achieve a similar effect. Remember to avoid over-explaining, focusing on essential information when striving for terseness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

aim to be brief

Focuses on brevity as the primary goal, shifting from a general attempt to a specific aim.

endeavor to be concise

Replaces "try" with "endeavor" for a more formal tone, and "terse" with "concise" which emphasizes clarity through brevity.

attempt to be succinct

Substitutes "try" with "attempt" and "terse" with "succinct", highlighting the aim to express much in few words.

strive for brevity

Replaces "try to be" with "strive for", focusing on actively working towards conciseness.

seek to be laconic

Uses "seek to be" instead of "try to be", and replaces "terse" with "laconic", indicating a preference for using very few words.

make an effort to be pithy

Shifts the focus to making an effort to be brief and full of substance.

work towards conciseness

Emphasizes the ongoing effort to achieve conciseness, rather than a single attempt.

concentrate on brevity

Focuses on concentrating efforts specifically on achieving brevity in communication.

prioritize conciseness

Highlights conciseness as a priority, suggesting it should be given more importance.

keep it short and sweet

An idiomatic alternative suggesting both brevity and pleasantness in communication.

FAQs

How can I use "try to be terse" in a sentence?

You might say, "When giving instructions, "try to be terse" to ensure clarity and avoid confusion".

What does it mean to "try to be terse"?

To "try to be terse" means to attempt to communicate in a concise and brief manner, using as few words as possible to convey your message effectively.

What's a more formal way to say "try to be terse"?

A more formal alternative would be "endeavor to be concise" or "aim for brevity".

Is it always good to "try to be terse"?

While conciseness is often valued, it's not always appropriate. Sometimes, providing more detail is necessary for clarity and context. Consider your audience and the complexity of the topic.