parentheses
parentheses — noun
1. the pair of curved signs ( ) that writers put around extra words, dates, or numb
the pair of curved signs ( ) that writers put around extra words, dates, or numbers, and that maths uses to show which part of an expression should be handled together.
Nia wrote the hotel room number in parentheses after her surname.
in parentheses after a name
Solve the terms inside the parentheses before you divide by four.
maths: work inside parentheses first
Owen's program failed because one pair of parentheses never closed.
Walid placed the Arabic title in parentheses beneath the English one.
Use parentheses around the stage direction so actors ignore it aloud.
- round brackets
the usual British English term for the curved marks
- brackets
common British everyday term; in American English this can mean square brackets instead
- parens
informal, heard especially in computing or editing
文法句型
in parentheses
put something in parentheses
inside the parentheses
用法筆記
Usually plural. For one sign, say 'left parenthesis' or 'right parenthesis'. British English more often uses 'round brackets' or simply 'brackets' for the same marks.
常見錯誤
2. words, phrases, or short sentences added inside a piece of writing to explain so
words, phrases, or short sentences added inside a piece of writing to explain something further without becoming the main statement.
The parentheses in Minh's report explain which survey year the chart uses.
parentheses explain extra detail in writing
Asher cut the long parentheses from the introduction to make it tighter.
cut the parentheses from a paragraph
Between two dashes, the parentheses tell readers why the bus route changed.
The editor kept the parentheses naming each cousin but shortened the rest.
Sana's final sentence still reads smoothly with two brief parentheses about the weather.
- aside
broader and less technical; can also be spoken
- insertion
neutral editing term that focuses on something added
- explanatory note
stresses that the added words clarify a point for the reader
文法句型
the parentheses in [text]
cut/remove the parentheses
parentheses between dashes
用法筆記
Usually refers to extra text inside a sentence or passage. The added words may be marked by commas, dashes, or curved brackets, so this meaning is about the inserted material, not the punctuation marks in sense 1.
常見錯誤
3. remarks or short passages that leave the main topic for a moment before a speake
remarks or short passages that leave the main topic for a moment before a speaker or writer returns to it.
During the budget talk, Tyler added two parentheses about growing up above the shop.
speech with two brief parentheses
The article's final parentheses about train food distract from the travel advice.
parentheses that pull attention off topic
Caio's speech had no extra parentheses, so the apology sounded direct.
The radio host used brief parentheses about village life to relax the audience.
- digressions
the most direct synonym, with clear movement away from the main topic
- asides
lighter in tone and often shorter
- tangents
more informal and often suggests wandering too far
文法句型
parentheses in a speech
add parentheses about [topic]
without extra parentheses
用法筆記
Most often appears in formal discussion of speeches, articles, or essays. These parentheses interrupt the larger topic, unlike sense 2, which stays inside one sentence to add explanation.