prägnant
concise
Something formulated briefly, aptly, and clearly; brought to the point.
EXAMPLE
Sie fasste die komplexe Situation in einem prägnanten Satz zusammen.
She summarized the complex situation in a concise sentence.
prägnant
concise / striking
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Meanings
prägnant
striking
Noticeable and memorable in form or appearance; clearly recognizable.
EXAMPLE
Das Gebäude hat eine sehr prägnante Architektur, die sofort ins Auge fällt.
The building has very striking architecture that immediately catches the eye.
Usage tips
False friend
Careful: 'prägnant' means 'kurz und treffend' (brief and apt) or 'eindrücklich' (striking/impressive). It is a false friend of the English word 'pregnant', which is 'schwanger' in German.
EXAMPLE
Ihre Antwort war kurz und prägnant.
Her answer was short and concise.
Context clue
The meaning depends on the noun. In connection with language or ideas (sentence, formulation), 'prägnant' means brief and apt. In connection with visual things (architecture, face, feature), it means striking and memorable.
EXAMPLE
Er erklärte die Idee mit prägnanten Worten.
He explained the idea in concise words.
Typical collocations (language)
When it comes to communication, 'prägnant' is often combined with nouns such as 'Aussage' (statement), 'Formulierung' (wording), 'Zusammenfassung' (summary), or 'Titel' (title). You can also say 'sich prägnant ausdrücken' (to express oneself concisely).
EXAMPLE
Bitte fassen Sie die Ergebnisse prägnant zusammen.
Please summarize the results concisely.
Typical collocations (appearance)
When it comes to appearance, 'prägnant' often describes a 'Merkmal' (feature), a 'Design' (design), a 'Form' (shape), or a 'Stimme' (voice). It highlights a quality that stands out especially clearly.
EXAMPLE
Das Logo der Firma ist sehr prägnant und leicht wiederzuerkennen.
The company's logo is very striking and easy to recognize.
Register: elevated language
The word 'prägnant' belongs to a somewhat elevated style of language. It is often found in written language, specialist lectures, or formal discussions.
EXAMPLE
In seiner Analyse benennt er prägnant die Schwächen des Systems.
In his analysis, he concisely identifies the weaknesses of the system.
Compare with
prägnant vs treffend
apt / accurate
Treffend and prägnant can both describe good wording. Treffend emphasizes that the statement fits the content precisely, while prägnant emphasizes that it is short, clear, and to the point. A phrase can therefore be both treffend and prägnant.
prägnant
Die kurze Zusammenfassung ist prägnant und bringt die Ursache des Problems klar auf den Punkt.
The brief summary is concise and clearly gets to the heart of the problem’s cause.
treffend
Die längere Beschreibung ist treffend, weil sie die Ursache des Problems genau erklärt.
The longer description is apt because it explains the cause of the problem precisely.
In real life
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