laconic
adjective
la·con·ic
lə-ˈkä-nik 
: using or involving the use of a minimum of words : concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious
Did you know?
We’ll keep it brief. Laconia was an ancient country in southern Greece. Its capital city was Sparta, and the Spartans were famous for their terseness of speech. Laconic comes to us by way of Latin from Greek Lakōnikos, meaning “native of Laconia.” In current use, laconic means “terse” or “concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious,” and thus recalls the Spartans’ taciturnity.
Synonyms
Examples of laconic in a Sentence
We would rather have a smiling, shape-shifting Democrat we don't trust than a frowning, laconic Republican we trust more.
—
Maureen Dowd, New York Times, 10 Oct. 1996
The closest anyone comes to announcing his destination is a laconic "Guess I'll head on in."
—Richard Rhodes, The Inland Ground, 1991
… towards the father—laconic, authoritarian, remote, an immigrant who'd trained in Galicia to be a rabbi but worked in America in a hat factory—their feelings were more confused.
—Philip Roth, Granta 24, Summer 1988
He had a reputation for being laconic.
the sportscaster's color commentary tends to be laconic but very much to the point
Maureen Dowd, New York Times, 10 Oct. 1996
The closest anyone comes to announcing his destination is a laconic "Guess I'll head on in."
—Richard Rhodes, The Inland Ground, 1991
… towards the father—laconic, authoritarian, remote, an immigrant who'd trained in Galicia to be a rabbi but worked in America in a hat factory—their feelings were more confused.
—Philip Roth, Granta 24, Summer 1988
He had a reputation for being laconic.
the sportscaster's color commentary tends to be laconic but very much to the point
Recent Examples on the Web
Copied Share Russia's economic situation 'stable' despite high inflation, Putin says
NBC News
When asked how Russia's economy remains afloat, Putin gives a characteristically laconic response.
—NBC News, 19 Dec. 2024
But Snoop Dogg the MC, the laconic voice who defined West Coast gangsta rap in the ’90s, never left us.
—August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Craig revealed that Guadagnino’s tweaks steered him away from attempting to channel the writer’s famous laconic drawl.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 10 Dec. 2024
Madison plays Ani with her heart incrementally open and then slammed shut, her emotions playing out all over her face; Borisov is more laconic and more restrained.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for laconic 
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NBC News, 19 Dec. 2024
But Snoop Dogg the MC, the laconic voice who defined West Coast gangsta rap in the ’90s, never left us.
—August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Craig revealed that Guadagnino’s tweaks steered him away from attempting to channel the writer’s famous laconic drawl.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 10 Dec. 2024
Madison plays Ani with her heart incrementally open and then slammed shut, her emotions playing out all over her face; Borisov is more laconic and more restrained.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for laconic
Articles Related to laconic
Dictionary Entries Near laconic
Cite this Entry
“Laconic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laconic. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
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