Briefs — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb plural noun

Meaning & Definition of Briefs

Briefs (noun)

  1. an official letter or mandate; especially, Roman Catholicism, a papal letter less formal than a bull
  2. a specific instruction or responsibility
  3. a concise article (as in a newspaper)

Briefs (verb)

  1. to make an abstract or abridgment of
  2. to give final precise instructions to
  3. to coach thoroughly in advance

Briefs (plural noun)

  1. underwear shorts that are longer than briefs and that typically have a snugger fit than boxer shorts

Briefs (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a short statement of the main points

    "a one-page brief of the intelligence report"

    similar: abstracts, breviaries, capsules, conspectuses, digests, encapsulations, epitomes, inventories, outlines, précis, recapitulations, recaps, résumés, roundups, rundowns, run-throughs, summae, summaries, summarizations, summings-up, sums, sum-ups, synopses, wrap-ups
    related: abbreviations, abridgments, compendiums, compends, condensations, curtailments, shortenings, simplifications, rehashes, reprises, conclusions, epilogues
    near: amplifications, enlargements, expansions, addenda, supplements

  2. a specific task with which a person or group is charged

    "the soldiers' brief was to secure the village from enemy attacks"

    similar: assignments, businesses, charges, details, jobs, missions, operations, posts
    related: burdens, chores, duties, needs, obligations, offices, requirements, responsibilities, errands, labors, works, commitments, pledges, promises, appointments, commissions, designations, nominations, compulsions, constraints, restraints

Briefs (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to give information to

    "the lieutenant briefed his superior officers on the state of the enemy's fortifications"

    similar: acquaints, advises, apprises, catches up, clears, clues (in), enlightens, familiarizes, fills in, hips, informs, instructs, tells, verses, wises (up), keeps (someone) posted, lets someone know
    related: advertises, alerts, notifies, announces (to), discloses (to), assures, certifies, convinces, reassures, warrants, educates, lectures, schools, teaches, tutors, disabuses, disenchants, disillusions, undeceives
    near: misinforms, misleads

  2. to make into a short statement of the main points (as of a report)

    "his duties include briefing intelligence reports for the president"

    similar: abstracts, boils down, digests, encapsulates, epitomizes, outlines, recapitulates, recaps, reprises, summarizes, sums up, synopsizes, wraps up
    related: abridges, condenses, curtails, cuts back, shortens, downsizes, shrinks, concentrates, consolidates, decocts, essentializes, simplifies, streamlines
    near: elongates, extends, lengthens, prolongs, protracts, amplifies, elaborates (on or upon), enlarges (on or upon), expands, supplements

Related Entry: Brief (noun)

Brief is a different word from Briefs. The synonyms below are for brief, not for briefs.

  1. a short statement of the main points

    "a one-page brief of the intelligence report"

    similar: abstract, breviary, capsule, conspectus, digest, encapsulation, epitome, inventory, outline, précis, recap, recapitulation, résumé, roundup, run-through, rundown, sum, sum-up, summa, summarization, summary, summing-up, synopsis, wrap-up
    related: abbreviation, abridgment, compend, compendium, condensation, curtailment, shortening, simplification, streamlining, rehash, reprise, conclusion, epilogue
    near: amplification, enlargement, expansion, addendum, supplement

  2. a specific task with which a person or group is charged

    "the soldiers' brief was to secure the village from enemy attacks"

    similar: assignment, business, charge, detail, job, mission, operation, post
    related: burden, chore, duty, need, obligation, office, requirement, responsibility, errand, labor, work, commitment, pledge, promise, appointment, commission, designation, nomination, compulsion, constraint, restraint

Related Entry: Brief (verb)

Brief is a different word from Briefs. The synonyms below are for brief, not for briefs.

  1. to give information to

    "the lieutenant briefed his superior officers on the state of the enemy's fortifications"

    similar: acquaint, advise, apprise, catch up, clear, clue (in), enlighten, familiarize, fill in, hip, inform, instruct, tell, verse, wise (up), keep (someone) posted, let someone know
    related: advertise, alert, notify, announce (to), disclose (to), assure, certify, convince, reassure, warrant, educate, lecture, school, teach, tutor, disabuse, disenchant, disillusion, undeceive
    near: misinform, mislead

  2. to make into a short statement of the main points (as of a report)

    "his duties include briefing intelligence reports for the president"

    similar: abstract, boil down, digest, encapsulate, epitomize, outline, recap, recapitulate, reprise, sum up, summarize, synopsize, wrap up
    related: abridge, condense, curtail, cut back, shorten, downsize, shrink, concentrate, consolidate, decoct, essentialize, simplify, streamline
    near: elongate, extend, lengthen, prolong, protract, amplify, elaborate (on or upon), enlarge (on or upon), expand, supplement

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Briefs

The most common words with a similar meaning to Briefs:

abstracts, breviaries, capsules, conspectuses, digests, encapsulations, epitomes, inventories, outlines, précis, recapitulations, recaps, résumés, roundups, rundowns, run-throughs, summae, summaries, summarizations, summings-up, sums, sum-ups, synopses, wrap-ups, assignments, businesses, charges, details, jobs, missions, operations, posts, acquaints, advises, apprises, catches up, clears, clues (in), enlightens, familiarizes

Related Words for Briefs

abbreviations, abridgments, compendiums, compends, condensations, curtailments, shortenings, simplifications, rehashes, conclusions, epilogues, burdens, chores, duties, needs, obligations, offices, requirements, responsibilities, errands, labors, works, commitments, pledges, promises, appointments, commissions, designations, nominations, compulsions

Near Antonyms of Briefs

amplifications, enlargements, expansions, addenda, supplements, misinforms, misleads, elongates, extends, lengthens, prolongs, protracts, amplifies, elaborates (on or upon), enlarges (on or upon), expands

Word Forms of Briefs

Inflections: briefed, briefing

Derived words: briefer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Briefs

Middle English bref, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin brevis, from Late Latin, summary, from Latin brevis brief:1

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Briefs

boxer briefs

Frequently Asked Questions about Briefs

What does "Briefs" mean?

"Briefs" means an official letter or mandate; especially, Roman Catholicism, a papal letter less formal than a bull. As an a noun, a verb and a plural noun, it is defined as: an official letter or mandate; especially, Roman Catholicism, a papal letter less formal than a bull. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Briefs"?

Other words for "Briefs" include abstracts, breviaries, capsules, conspectuses, digests, encapsulations, epitomes and inventories. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Briefs" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Briefs"?

There are 122 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Briefs". Common alternatives include abstracts, breviaries, capsules, conspectuses, digests, encapsulations, epitomes, inventories, outlines and précis.

How do you use "Briefs" in a sentence?

Examples of "Briefs" in a sentence: "a one-page brief of the intelligence report"; "the soldiers' brief was to secure the village from enemy attacks"; "the lieutenant briefed his superior officers on the state of the enemy's fortifications".

Is "Briefs" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Briefs" can be used as a noun, a verb and a plural noun, depending on the context.

What is the origin of the word "Briefs"?

"Briefs" comes from Middle English bref, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin brevis, from Late Latin, summary, from Latin brevis brief:1. First known use: 14th century.

What is another word for "Briefs" meaning "a short statement of the main points"?

When "Briefs" (noun) means a short statement of the main points, synonyms include abstracts, breviaries, capsules, conspectuses, digests and encapsulations.

What is another word for "Briefs" meaning "a specific task with which a person or group is charged"?

When "Briefs" (noun) means a specific task with which a person or group is charged, synonyms include assignments, businesses, charges, details, jobs and missions.