Opposite of "verbose"

Question

One definition of verbose states:

characterized by the use of many or too many words; wordy: a verbose report.

Some (including the above link) suggest that the opposite is concise or laconic, however both mean covering much in few words.

Is there an opposite of verbose which means the use of too few words?

Here's a blog post about this, although it doesn't offer an alternative.

Answer 1

Terse: sparing in the use of words; abrupt - "a terse statement". The current use according to OED is "Freed from verbal redundancy; neatly concise; compact and pithy in style or language."

Answer 2

How about:

succinct  

suc·cinct [suhk-singkt]

1. expressed in few words; concise; terse.

2. characterized by conciseness or verbal brevity.

3. compressed into a small area, scope, or compass.

From http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/succinct

Answer 3

If a simple curt is too short for you, there’s always pauciloquent, meaning with few words. All pauciloquies are by definition laconic ones rather than Polonian speeches.

Whether that implies that not enough words were curtly spoken by the tight-lipped orator, or just the right number, is open to individual interpretation.

Answer 4

Someone who is "taciturn" speaks little.

Definition from the Free Online Dictionary: habitually silent, reserved, or uncommunicative; not inclined to conversation [from Latin taciturnus, from tacitus silent, from tacēre to be silent]

A more colorful way to describe a person who uses too few words is "tight-lipped", though this can mean, depending on context, that someone is not willing to speak, as if they are keeping a secret.

Answer 5

I always liked the word laconic.

using or involving the use of a minimum of words : concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious - Definition from Miriam Webster

Although I don't get enough opportunities to use it. In the sense of "consise to the point of seeming rude", it implies the use of too few words.

Answer 6

yet another option would be brief

brief 
adj. brief·er, brief·est
1. Short in time, duration, length, or extent.
2. Succinct; concise: a brief account of the incident.
3. Curt; abrupt.
n.
1. A short, succinct statement.
2. A condensation or an abstract of a larger document or series of documents.

particularly the 3rd definition as an adjective seems to fit

Answer 7

I don't think there is a regularly-used, modern English word that means "too few words to convey meaning". There is, however, one word that does mean that, albeit as a rarely-used meaning in modern use.

That word is elliptic. Elliptic, as Merriam-Webster defines it, has two principal meanings:

1: of, relating to, or shaped like an ellipse

2

a : of, relating to, or marked by ellipsis or an ellipsis

b (1) : of, relating to, or marked by extreme economy of speech or writing (2) : of or relating to deliberate obscurity (as of literary or conversational style)

It definitely has the sense of concision and omission of important detail. "An elliptic report", to my mind, would be one that was not thorough or complete, perhaps leaping to conclusions without sufficient justification, etc.

With all that said, however, for most people elliptical would refer to the shape.

Answer 8

I am not English so be kind. But from French, I would say succinct would be my first choice, brief, concise, expressed with very little words.

I don't think you can find the perfect opposite for "too many words", because with "not enough words" you can't really express anything but meaningless sentences. Maybe with "an explanation being too brief"

Also we have condensé in French, don't know if you can say condensed in English, as something with a higher density.

Answer 9

These all depend on context, but if I wanted to express that someone used too few words to get a concept across, I might use the following to describe their delivery:

• bare
• lacking
• wanting
• needing
• incomplete

These are perhaps not antonyms to "verbose" specifically, but I hope they help.

Answer 10

How about brevity ?

Cambridge Dictionary describes it as "using only a few words or lasting only a short time".

Also, here

brevity [ˈbrɛvɪtɪ]
n pl -ties
1. conciseness of expression; lack of verbosity
2. a short duration; brief time
[from Latin brevitās shortness, from brevis brief]

Answer 11

Pithy and meaty can be added to the list.