Summarize: Meaning, Examples & Usage Guide

Meaning 1：to give a summary (summarize)

summarize 🔊

/ˈsʌməraɪz/

to tell the most important points of something in a short and clear way.

Student highlighting main points to summarize a text

to give a summary 🔊

➕

/ɡɪv ə ˈsʌməri/

To express the most important information from a longer text, speech, or event in a brief and clear form, omitting unnecessary details.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'summa' (sum) + '-ize' (to make), meaning to condense into a sum.

💡 Mnemonic

Think: 'sum' + 'marize' = putting the main points into a single 'sum'.

📖 Example

After reading the long report, the teacher asked the students to summarize its main ideas in their own words. 🔊 After reading the long report, the teacher asked the students to summarize its main ideas in their own words.

🔗 Collocations

summarize the findings – to give a concise account of the research results

summarize a book – to provide a brief overview of a book's content

briefly summarize – to summarize in a few words

🔄 Synonyms

recap (v.) – to repeat the main points of something briefly

condense (v.) – to make something shorter while keeping the essential content

synopsize (v.) – to give a brief summary or general survey of something

🚫 Antonyms

elaborate (v.) – to add more detail or expand upon a topic

expand (v.) – to make something larger or more detailed

amplify (v.) – to increase the volume or scope of something, especially in speech or writing

🌱 Derivatives

summary (n.) – a brief statement of the main points of something

summarization (n.) – the act or process of summarizing

summarizer (n.) – a person or tool that summarizes

📖 Cultural Story

Originating from Latin 'summa' (total), used in medieval manuscripts to denote a brief restatement of a longer text. Today indispensable in business and academia for concise communication.