Pithy
mediumPositive tonePITH-ee
adjective
Definition
Concise and forcefully expressive
Memory hook
The PITH of an orange is the concentrated center — pithy speech is concise and packed with meaning.
Examples
“Her pithy comments cut through the confusion.”
“The pithy summary captured the essence of the book.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“Her ______ comments cut through the confusion.”
Show answer
pithy
Categories
GRE Tip
Pithy is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "concise" or "succinct" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "verbose".
Related GRE Words
laconic
Using very few words; concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious
aphoristic
Containing or characterized by aphorisms; concise and memorable
terse
Sparing in the use of words; abrupt
compendious
Containing a lot of information in a concise form; comprehensive yet brief
succinct
Briefly and clearly expressed
concise
Giving a lot of information clearly and in few words; brief but comprehensive
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