summary
gb/sˈʌmɚi/ us/sˈʌmɚi/
A2
English
~ 3000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Short account of main points
A short text or talk that tells the main ideas of something.
Usage pattern:
a summary of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'summary' with 'conclusion'. A conclusion is an ending opinion or judgment, while a summary is a short restatement of main points.
Synonyms
overview (Slightly more general and high-level, often used in formal or technical contexts.)
|
synopsis (Often used for books, films, or plays; slightly more formal than 'summary'.)
Antonyms
full account (Provides all details instead of a condensed version.)
Collocations
brief summary
|executive summary
|write a summary
|give a summary
|summary report
Themes
communication
|education
|business
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The teacher asked for a one-page summary of the chapter.
- The news anchor gave a quick summary of today's top stories.
- Please read the summary before starting the full report.
- Her email contained a brief summary of the meeting.
- The book begins with a summary of events so far.
Learner examples
- I wrote a short summary of the movie.
- Can you give me a summary of the story?
- This is a summary of our trip.
- He read the summary before the test.
adjective
formal
B2
property
2
Quick and without full process
Done very quickly and without all the usual steps or details.
Usage pattern:
summary [judgment/action/execution]
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'summary' here means 'short text', but as an adjective it often means something done quickly and without full process.
Synonyms
swift (Emphasizes speed but not necessarily lack of detail or procedure.)
|
abbreviated (Emphasizes shortened form, not necessarily procedural bypass.)
Antonyms
deliberate (Carefully planned and following full procedure.)
Collocations
summary judgment
|summary execution
|summary dismissal
Themes
law
|business
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The judge issued a summary judgment in favor of the plaintiff.
- He was fired in a summary dismissal after repeated misconduct.
- The military carried out a summary execution of the rebels.
Learner examples
- The court gave a summary judgment.
- It was a summary decision without a long meeting.
- They made a summary action to stop the problem.
Grammar
Dictionary form
summary
IPA
GB/sˈʌmɚi/
US/sˈʌmɚi/
Syllables & stress
sum - mary (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (sum)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: summary
Noun
- Base: summary
- Plural: summaries
Word family
Forms
summaries
noun
Core family
summarize
verb B1
Advanced or less common
summarization
noun
summarizer
noun
Expressions
executive summary
1/ɪɡzˈɛkjətɪv sˈʌmɚi/
fixed phrase
business
Brief overview in business reports
A short part at the beginning of a business report that gives the main ideas.
Examples
- The executive summary highlights our main goals and strategies.
- Please read the executive summary before going through the full proposal.
to make a long story short
1/tə mˈeɪk ə lˈɔŋ stˈɔɹi ʃˈɔɹt/
idiom
informal
Give only essential points
Used when you want to tell only the important parts of a story and skip details.
Examples
- To make a long story short, we missed the flight and had to stay overnight.
- He was late, missed the bus, and, to make a long story short, arrived after lunch.
in summary
1/ˈɪn sˈʌmɚi/
fixed phrase
Introduce a brief conclusion
Used to say that you will give the main points in a short way.
Examples
- In summary, our results show a clear improvement.
- In summary, we recommend starting the project next month.
in summary
2/ˈɪn sˈʌmɚi/
fixed phrase
To introduce a brief restatement
Used to show you are giving the main points in short form.
Examples
- In summary, we need more time to finish the project.
- In summary, the meeting went well and we agreed on the next steps.