Meaning & Definition
verb
to give a brief statement of the main points of (something).
Please summarize the main findings of your research in a few sentences.
to make a summary of.
The teacher asked the students to summarize the chapter after reading it.
to condense or reduce to a shorter form while retaining the essential elements.
He summarized the lengthy report to make it easier for the board to digest.
to encapsulate a discussion or argument.
At the end of the meeting, she summarized the key points discussed.
Etymology
Late Middle English 'summarisen', from Old French 'sommaer' (to sum up), from Latin 'summarius' (of a summary).
Common Phrases and Expressions
summarize in a nutshell:
To express something in a very brief and simple way.
summarize the situation:
To give an overview of the current state of affairs.
Slang Meanings
To give a quick, simplified version of something, often with little detail.
Can you summarize that email for me? I don't have time to read the whole thing.
To quickly explain the key idea or conclusion of something.
The teacher summarized the lesson in just a few words: 'Always check your work!'