Meaning & use
high-level overview
Last updated
Meaning
phrasecountable
a short description or summary that gives only the main points, not the details
Grammar: Countable: use an or a before it, and give an overview or provide an overview.
Patterns
- give a high-level overview
- provide a high-level overview
- a high-level overview of something
The manager gave a high-level overview of the project before the team started work.
Can you provide a high-level overview of the new policy?
The report begins with a high-level overview and then goes into detail.
Word forms
| plural | high-level overviews |
|---|
Common combinations
- give a high-level overview
- She gave a high-level overview of the plan in five minutes.
- provide a high-level overview
- The website provides a high-level overview of our services.
- a high-level overview of the situation
- He asked for a high-level overview of the situation before the meeting.
- start with a high-level overview
- The training starts with a high-level overview and then moves to practice.
Synonyms and how they differ
- summary
- A general word for a short restatement of main points; high-level overview often suggests it is deliberately broad and not detailed.
- outline
- A list or plan of main points; an overview is more like a description, while an outline can be just headings.
- bird's-eye view
- A figurative phrase meaning a broad view from above; it can also mean a literal view, so it is less precise in business writing.
Opposites
Word family
- overview noun
- A general description or summary of something.
- high-level adjective
- Concerned with general matters rather than details; also means involving senior people.
Commonly confused: high-level overview or overlook?
high-level overview vs overlook
Overlook is a verb meaning to miss or ignore something, or to have a view over something. Overview is a noun meaning a summary.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'high-level overview' correctly?
Choose one answer.
High-level overview is a countable noun phrase, so it needs a verb like gave and the preposition of before the topic. Option A wrongly uses it as a verb, C misses 'of,' and D uses it as an adjective.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “high-level overview”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.