Skip to content
GREMockTests
GRE vocabulary

laconic

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore L words

using very few words; terse to the point of seeming blunt

Word origin: From Greek Lakonikos, after the famously terse Spartans of Laconia.

In a sentence

Laconic in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing laconic in a sentence.

Her laconic reply of just "fine" gave away nothing about how the long meeting had actually gone.

Her laconic reply, a single "Fine," ended the conversation.

Usage & nuance

Using “laconic” well

Laconic describes a terse, economical style of speech, often implying composure or bluntness rather than shyness.

Common questions

Questions about “laconic

Laconic (adjective) means using very few words; terse to the point of seeming blunt
Here is laconic used in an example sentence: "Her laconic reply of just "fine" gave away nothing about how the long meeting had actually gone." Another example: "Her laconic reply, a single "Fine," ended the conversation."
Common synonyms for laconic include terse, succinct, curt, pithy.
Antonyms of laconic include verbose, loquacious, garrulous.
Laconic is the opposite of garrulous and verbose, and it clusters with terse, curt, and succinct on the GRE.
Yes. Laconic is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

Learn words the way the GRE tests them.

Vocabulary sticks when you meet it in real sentences. Practise these words inside text completion and sentence equivalence questions.