one-word

IPA/wˈɒnwˈɜːd/
IPA/wˈʌnwˈɜːd/

one-word — adjective

1. made up of, or expressed using, only a single word

1.形容詞B1
釋義

made up of, or expressed using, only a single word

例句

Olivia gave the reporter a one-word answer and walked off the stage.

pattern: a one-word answer

When asked about the rumor, the coach offered a one-word reply: "No."

pattern: a one-word reply, often followed by a quote

同義詞
  • monosyllabic

    is more formal and often suggests the person is being unfriendly or unwilling to talk

  • terse

    describes any short, blunt reply, not strictly limited to a single word

  • brief

    is much broader and can describe any short message, spoken or written

反義詞
  • long-winded

    describes a reply that uses far more words than needed, the opposite extreme

  • detailed

    suggests a response that gives full explanation rather than a single word

文法句型

a one-word answer / reply / response

give a one-word [noun]

one-word [title / name]

用法筆記

Used only before a noun, not after a linking verb. The hyphen is required in this position; without a noun, you would say the answer was one word, not the answer was one-word. The phrase often carries a small note of bluntness, especially with answer, reply, or response — a one-word answer can sound curt or unwilling to explain.

常見錯誤

❌Her answer was one-word.
✅Her answer was just one word.
💡without a following noun, drop the hyphen and use one word as two separate words.
❌He gave a one word reply.
✅He gave a one-word reply.
💡when it sits before a noun, the hyphen is required to mark it as a single adjective.