laconic
Economical with words
Laconic means using few words, especially to the point of seeming curt or brusque.
A laconic reply gets the message across without elaboration: When asked how the meeting went, he gave a laconic "Fine".
The word often carries a note of admiration—laconic speakers seem confident, unflustered, perhaps withholding more than they reveal.
Shortness of expression
- terseBrief to bluntness
- succinctExpressed with minimal words
- pithyConcise and forceful
- compactTightly packed together
curt · clipped · telegraphic · monosyllabic · abrupt · epigrammatic · aphoristic · pointed
Habitually uncommunicative
- reticentDisinclined to speak freely
- tight-lippedUnwilling to divulge
- uncommunicativeUnwilling to share thoughts
- quietLacking in sound
guarded · aloof · distant · withdrawn · detached · enigmatic · inscrutable · sphinx-like
Abruptly rude in speech
short · clipped · dismissive · dry · deadpan · wry · sardonic · matter-of-fact
Ancient Greek warrior state
- LeonidasAncient Spartan warrior-king
- ThermopylaeGreek coastal pass, ancient battle
- brevityShortness of expression
- terseBrief to bluntness
Lacedaemon · hoplite · phalanx · agoge · warrior · discipline · austerity · blunt
brevity
Shortness of expression
compact · curt · clipped · telegraphic · monosyllabic · abrupt · epigrammatic · aphoristic · pointed · crisp
taciturn
Habitually uncommunicative
- reticentDisinclined to speak freely
- tight-lippedUnwilling to divulge
- uncommunicativeUnwilling to share thoughts
quiet · guarded · aloof · distant · withdrawn · detached · enigmatic · inscrutable · sphinx-like · close-mouthed
curt
Abruptly rude in speech
terse · short · clipped · dismissive · dry · deadpan · wry · sardonic · matter-of-fact · unadorned
Sparta
Ancient Greek warrior state
- LeonidasAncient Spartan warrior-king
- ThermopylaeGreek coastal pass, ancient battle
- brevityShortness of expression
terse · Lacedaemon · hoplite · phalanx · agoge · warrior · discipline · austerity · blunt · stoic
- brevitybrevity, concise, succinct, terse, pithy
- SAT vocabularyaesthetic, ambiguous, benevolent, candid, concise
- shortshort, brief, small, little, tiny
- speaking stylesarticulate, blunt, candid, conversational, casual
- concise writingconcise, brief, short, terse, crisp
- Spartaagoge, helots, phalanx, Spartans, Leonidas
laconicverbose
More words than necessary
wordy · long-winded · prolix · loquacious · rambling