The difference between Summary and Synopsis

When used as nouns, summary means an abstract or a condensed presentation of the substance of a body of material, whereas synopsis means a brief summary of the major points of a written work, either as prose or as a table.


Summary is also adjective with the meaning: concise, brief or presented in a condensed form.

check bellow for the other definitions of Summary and Synopsis

  1. Summary as an adjective:

    Concise, brief or presented in a condensed form

    Examples:

    "A summary review is in the appendix."

  2. Summary as an adjective:

    Performed speedily and without formal ceremony.

    Examples:

    "They used summary executions to break the resistance of the people."

  3. Summary as an adjective (legal):

    Performed by cutting the procedures of a standard and fair trial.

    Examples:

    "Summary justice is bad justice."

  1. Summary as a noun:

    An abstract or a condensed presentation of the substance of a body of material.

  1. Synopsis as a noun (authorship):

    A brief summary of the major points of a written work, either as prose or as a table; an abridgment or condensation of a work.

  2. Synopsis as a noun (Orthodoxy):

    A prayer book for use by the laity of the church.