nutshell

noun

nut·​shell ˈnət-ˌshel 

1

: the hard external covering in which the kernel of a nut is enclosed

2

: something of small size, amount, or scope

Phrases

in a nutshell

: in a very brief statement

Examples of nutshell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Jim Clash: In a nutshell, sum up the differences between guitarists Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. —Jim Clash, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025

And this is a big part of the problem in a nutshell: Access is everything, and in many cases, DOGE has it. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2025

Musk's Bid Is a Fly in the Ointment for OpenAI In a nutshell, Altman is the golden boy of the AI Revolution but Musk has massive power in the Beltway and this chain of events is likely just the start of a bigger soap opera poised to play out between Musk and Altman. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 15 Feb. 2025

In a nutshell, OFDMA divides channels into resource units (RUs), allowing for smaller data packets that can be transmitted to multiple users simultaneously. —PCMAG, 11 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nutshell

• barbell
• bedwell
• befell
• bluebell
• bombshell
• bridewell
• capelle
• cartel
• carvel
• clamshell
• cogswell
• compel

Kids Definition

nutshell

noun

nut·​shell ˈnət-ˌshel 

: the shell of a nut