curt

IPA/kɜːt/
KK[kˈɚt]IPA/kɜːrt/

curt — adjective

  • curtpositive
  • curtercomparative
  • curtestsuperlative

1. said or done in a way that is very short and quick, which gives the impression t

1.形容詞B2
釋義

said or done in a way that is very short and quick, which gives the impression that you do not care about being polite or friendly

例句

When Lakan asked about the delay, his manager gave a curt reply and walked away.

curt + reply — typical object for rude brevity

The receptionist's curt tone made Soraya feel as if she had interrupted something important.

同義詞
  • brusque

    very similar, but emphasizes bluntness rather than shortness

  • abrupt

    focuses on suddenness of the response, which may feel surprising or rude

  • sharp

    harsher in tone, often includes an edge of anger or criticism

反義詞
  • polite

    shows courtesy and consideration

  • warm

    friendly and kind in manner, the opposite of cold brevity

用法筆記

Predicative use (e.g. 'Her reply was curt') is very common. The curtness is almost always interpreted negatively — the speaker or writer is being rude or dismissive, not just brief.

常見錯誤

❌I like him because he is curt and direct.
✅I like him because he is direct and to the point.
💡'curt' carries a negative tone of rudeness, so using it as a compliment sounds odd.

2. using only the words that are truly needed, without extra detail or explanation,

2.形容詞C1
釋義

using only the words that are truly needed, without extra detail or explanation, often in an efficient or helpful way

例句

The doctor left a curt note asking the nurse to adjust the dosage.

curt + note — neutral or positive in professional contexts

Sayaka gave a curt summary of the meeting that covered every key decision.

同義詞
  • terse

    similar but slightly more formal; can also lean negative

  • concise

    more clearly positive; the standard word for efficient brevity

  • brief

    more neutral; does not carry any particular attitude

反義詞
  • wordy

    using too many words

  • verbose

    formal term for excessively wordy

用法筆記

This sense is non-judgmental or mildly positive — the brevity is a virtue, not a flaw. Typically found in formal or professional writing about communication style. The context (e.g. 'clear', 'helpful', 'to the point') usually signals that no rudeness is intended.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher's curt feedback made the student cry.' (meaning rude)
✅The teacher's curt feedback listed only the three main corrections.
💡If you mean the teacher was rude, use sense 1. For neutral efficiency, add context showing the brevity is purposeful, not dismissive.