How to Use Summarise: Definition & Examples

Meaning 1：give a concise overview (summarise)

summarise 🔊

/ˈsʌməraɪz/

To give the main information or ideas of something longer in a much shorter form.

Teacher summarising complex text on whiteboard into clear bullet points for student

give a concise overview 🔊

➕

/ɡɪv ə kənˈsaɪs ˈəʊvəvjuː/

To express the most important facts or ideas about something in a brief and clear form, omitting minor details.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'summa' (total, whole) + '-ise' (verb-forming suffix), meaning 'to make into a total or whole account'.

💡 Mnemonic

SUMMARISE sounds like 'SUM it up' and make it 'RISE' to the top, keeping only the essential points.

📖 Example

After reading the long report, she was able to summarise its key findings in just three sentences for the team meeting. 🔊 Following her review of the extensive report, she successfully condensed its primary conclusions into merely three sentences for presentation at the team meeting.

🔗 Collocations

summarise the main points – to give a brief account of the key arguments or ideas

summarise a document – to provide a shortened version capturing the essence of a text

summarise findings – to concisely present the results or conclusions of research

🔄 Synonyms

outline (v.) – To describe the main facts or ideas in a general way, often without details.

encapsulate (v.) – To express the essential features of something succinctly.

recapitulate (v.) – To state again or summarize the main points of something.

🚫 Antonyms

elaborate (v.) – To explain or describe something in greater detail.

expand (v.) – To add details or information to make a topic more comprehensive.

🌱 Derivatives

summary (n.) – A brief statement or account of the main points of something.

summation (n.) – The process of adding things together; a concluding summary.

summarisation (n.) – The act or process of making a summary.

📖 Cultural Story

Originates from the Latin 'summarius' (of or pertaining to the sum or substance). It entered English via Medieval Latin 'summarizare'. In modern Anglophone academia and business, 'summarise' is a core skill, crucial for condensing research papers, legal briefs, and meeting minutes into digestible key points.