curtly.

Briefly and abruptly, in a way that seems unfriendly or dismissive.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• answer curtly
• nod curtly

On the page

“Not today,” she said curtly, closing the folder.

Usage notes

Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: Invariable adverb. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description, character. Commonness: moderately common.