Curt
mediumNegative tonekurt
adjective
Definition
Rudely brief or abrupt in speech or manner
Memory hook
CURT: so short it hurts — rudely brief and abrupt in speech.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“His curt reply indicated he had no interest in further discussion.”
“The receptionist's curt manner offended many visitors.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“His ______ reply indicated he had no interest in further discussion.”
Show answer
curt
Categories
GRE Tip
Curt is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "brusque" or "terse" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "verbose".
Related GRE Words
succinct
Briefly and clearly expressed
terse
Sparing in the use of words; abrupt
uncommunicative
Unwilling to talk or give out information
aphoristic
Containing or characterized by aphorisms; concise and memorable
concise
Giving a lot of information clearly and in few words; brief but comprehensive
epigrammatic
Concise, clever, and memorable in expression
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