in a nutshell

Meaning, Examples, Pronunciation
To say something “in a nutshell” means to express it very briefly and concisely.

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Watch native speakers using the expression "

in a nutshell

" in real life situations.

Meaning & Origin

The phrase in a nutshell dates back to ancient times—Pliny the Elder wrote of a tiny copy of Homer’s Iliad that supposedly fit inside a nutshell. Today it simply signals extreme brevity.

Pronunciation Guide

Say it as IN a NUT-shell: /ɪn ə ˈnʌtˌʃɛl/ with main stress on nut.

Usage & Sentence Examples

  • In a nutshell, we need more time.
  • He told the story in a nutshell.
  • Here’s the proposal in a nutshell: cut costs, boost marketing.

Synonyms

  • in short
  • briefly
  • to sum up
  • in summary
  • in brief

Pronunciation test

1. Click Record and read the sentence
2. Pronounce AI scores your pronunciation and fluency

FAQ

Is it formal?
It’s informal; in formal writing use “briefly” or “in summary.”
Where does it usually sit in a sentence?
Often at the start or end, set off by commas: “In a nutshell, …” or “…that’s it in a nutshell.”
Does it imply oversimplification?
Sometimes; it warns the listener that details are being left out.
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A
Alice Phyu
a five star review
The user experience is very good and the UI is visually appealing and intuitive.
C
Cesar Cabrera
a five star review
This is amazing, it really helps to record your pronunciation and compare it to how you should pronounce.
A
Ahmed Elsayed
a five star review
A very good site, it helped me a lot to improve my english skills
M
Mikhail Polykovsky
a five star review
Great application for improving your pronounciation in English.
I
Iva Tania
a five star review
This application is really cool and user-friendly for beginner.
A
Alice Phyu
a five star review
The user experience is very good and the UI is visually appealing and intuitive.
C
Cesar Cabrera
a five star review
This is amazing, it really helps to record your pronunciation and compare it to how you should pronounce.
A
Ahmed Elsayed
a five star review
A very good site, it helped me a lot to improve my english skills
M
Mikhail Polykovsky
a five star review
Great application for improving your pronounciation in English.
I
Iva Tania
a five star review
This application is really cool and user-friendly for beginner.
A
Alice Phyu
a five star review
The user experience is very good and the UI is visually appealing and intuitive.
C
Cesar Cabrera
a five star review
This is amazing, it really helps to record your pronunciation and compare it to how you should pronounce.
A
Ahmed Elsayed
a five star review
A very good site, it helped me a lot to improve my english skills
M
Mikhail Polykovsky
a five star review
Great application for improving your pronounciation in English.
I
Iva Tania
a five star review
This application is really cool and user-friendly for beginner.
M
Ms Elin
a five star review
Although I only tried the free version, it helps me a lot! I even recommend this website to others on my social media.
J
Joshua Salazar
a five star review
I love this app. It helps me a lot to improve my pronunciation.
Z
Zuhaib Ashfaq
a five star review
The impressive thing about Pronounce is that it lets you communicate in a real-life scenario with an AI bot
M
Maryam Reda
a five star review
I like this site because it helps me to know my mistakes in pronunciation.
D
Damen A
a five star review
To be honest, my experience with Pronounce was incredible. Actually, I learned many things, and I advanced my pronunciation.
M
Ms Elin
a five star review
Although I only tried the free version, it helps me a lot! I even recommend this website to others on my social media.
J
Joshua Salazar
a five star review
I love this app. It helps me a lot to improve my pronunciation.
Z
Zuhaib Ashfaq
a five star review
The impressive thing about Pronounce is that it lets you communicate in a real-life scenario with an AI bot
M
Maryam Reda
a five star review
I like this site because it helps me to know my mistakes in pronunciation.
D
Damen A
a five star review
To be honest, my experience with Pronounce was incredible. Actually, I learned many things, and I advanced my pronunciation.
M
Ms Elin
a five star review
Although I only tried the free version, it helps me a lot! I even recommend this website to others on my social media.
J
Joshua Salazar
a five star review
I love this app. It helps me a lot to improve my pronunciation.
Z
Zuhaib Ashfaq
a five star review
The impressive thing about Pronounce is that it lets you communicate in a real-life scenario with an AI bot
M
Maryam Reda
a five star review
I like this site because it helps me to know my mistakes in pronunciation.
D
Damen A
a five star review
To be honest, my experience with Pronounce was incredible. Actually, I learned many things, and I advanced my pronunciation.

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