Public Services and Procurement Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Institutional Links

 

Important notice

Writing Tips has been archived and won’t be updated before it is permanently deleted.

For the most up-to-date content, please consult Writing Tips Plus, which combines content from Writing Tips and The Canadian Style. And don’t forget to update your bookmarks!

Search Canada.ca
To begin your search, go to the alphabetical index below and click on the first letter of the word you are searching for.

laconic, laconically

The adjective laconic and the adverb laconically refer to a thing or an action that is brief or terse. Do not use laconic and laconically to mean “sad” and “sadly,” respectively.

  • Ali was a man of few words, but no one ever got lost following his laconic directions.
  • To the question "Why do you wish to study philosophy?" the student replied laconically, "Because."

The adverb laconically is often replaced by the adverb dryly.

  • “You don’t have to tell me again,” she said dryly.