Telescope words refer to words that are broad and general in meaning but are used to provide a general overview of an idea or concept. These words are often used in academic writing to summarize lengthy pieces of information, provide an overarching theme or idea, or to give an abstract of an entire section. There are several synonyms that can be used for the term telescope words such as overview terms, generalizations, umbrella terms, and broad brush strokes. All of these terms convey the same idea of using generalized language to summarize information and provide a high-level understanding of a concept, topic, or idea.