diff --git a/docs/dj.1 b/docs/dj.1
index 7031ccf..43c2750 100644
--- a/docs/dj.1
+++ b/docs/dj.1
@@ -11,25 +11,17 @@ dj \(en disk jockey
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 
 dj
-.RB ( -AdHnq )
-.RB ( -a
-.RB [ byte ])
-.RB ( -c
-.RB [ count ])
+.RB [ -AdHnq ]
+.RB [ -a\ byte ]
+.RB [ -c\ count ]
 
-.RB ( -i
-[\fBinput file\fP])
-.RB ( -b
-[\fBinput block size\fP])
-.RB ( -s
-[\fBinput offset\fP])
+.RB [ -i\ file ]
+.RB [ -b\ block_size ]
+.RB [ -s\ offset ]
 
-.RB ( -o
-[\fBoutput file\fP])
-.RB ( -B
-[\fBoutput block size\fP])
-.RB ( -S
-[\fBoutput offset\fP])
+.RB [ -o\ file ]
+.RB [ -B\ block_size ]
+.RB [ -S\ offset ]
 .\"
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 
@@ -47,25 +39,25 @@ immediately subsequent to the specified byte.
 .\"
 .SH OPTIONS
 
-.IP \fB-i\fP
+.IP \fB-i\fP\ \fIfile\fP
 Takes a file path as an argument and opens it for use as an input.
-.IP \fB-b\fP
+.IP \fB-b\fP\ \fIblock_size\fP
 Takes a numeric argument as the size in bytes of the input buffer, the default
 being 1024.
-.IP \fB-s\fP
+.IP \fB-s\fP\ \fIoffset\fP
 Takes a numeric argument as the number of bytes to skip into the input
 before starting to read. If the standard input is used, bytes read to this point
 are discarded.
-.IP \fB-o\fP
+.IP \fB-o\fP\ \fIfile\fP
 Takes a file path as an argument and opens it for use as an output.
-.IP \fB-B\fP
+.IP \fB-B\fP\ \fIblock_size\fP
 Does the same as
 .B -b
 but for the output buffer.
-.IP \fB-S\fP
+.IP \fB-S\fP\ \fIoffset\fP
 Seeks a number of bytes through the output before starting to write from
 the input. If the output is a stream, null characters are printed.
-.IP \fB-a\fP
+.IP \fB-a\fP\ \fIbyte\fP
 Accepts a single literal byte with which the input buffer is padded in the event
 of an incomplete read from the input file.
 .IP \fB-A\fP
@@ -73,7 +65,7 @@ Specifying this option pads the input buffer with null bytes in the event of an
 incomplete read. This is equivalent to specifying
 .B -a
 with a null byte instead of a character.
-.IP \fB-c\fP
+.IP \fB-c\fP\ \fIcount\fP
 Specifies a number of reads to make. The default is 0, in which case the
 input is read until a partial or empty read is made.
 .IP \fB-d\fP
diff --git a/docs/fop.1 b/docs/fop.1
index d777c68..b96033a 100644
--- a/docs/fop.1
+++ b/docs/fop.1
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ Performs operations on specified fields in data read from the standard input.
 .\"
 .SH OPTIONS
 
-.IP \fB-d\fP
+.IP \fB-d\fP\ \fIdelimiter\fP
 Sets a delimiter by which the input data will be split into fields. The default
 is an ASCII record separator.
 .\"
diff --git a/docs/intcmp.1 b/docs/intcmp.1
index 034a4fd..b90f23a 100644
--- a/docs/intcmp.1
+++ b/docs/intcmp.1
@@ -11,9 +11,7 @@ intcmp \(en compare integers
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 
 intcmp
-.RB ( -egl )
-.RB [ integer ]
-.RB [ integer... ]
+.RB [ -egl ]\ integer\ integer...
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 Compare integers to each other.
 .\"
diff --git a/docs/mm.1 b/docs/mm.1
index 2ff9f44..2916aa7 100644
--- a/docs/mm.1
+++ b/docs/mm.1
@@ -10,11 +10,9 @@ mm \(en middleman
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 
 mm
-.RB ( -aenu )
-.RB ( -i
-.RB [ input ])
-.RB ( -o
-.RB [ output ])
+.RB [ -aenu ]
+.RB [ -i\ input ]
+.RB [ -o\ output ]
 .\"
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 
@@ -26,10 +24,10 @@ Catenate input files and write them to the start of each output file or stream.
 Opens subsequent outputs for appending rather than updating.
 .IP \fB-e\fP
 Use the standard error as an output.
-.IP \fB-i\fP
+.IP \fB-i\fP\ \fIinput\fP
 Opens a path as an input. If one or more of the input files is \(lq-\(rq or if
 no inputs are specified, the standard input shall be used.
-.IP \fB-o\fP
+.IP \fB-o\fP\ \fIoutput\fP
 Opens a path as an output. If one or more of the output files is \(lq-\(rq or if
 no outputs are specified, the standard output shall be used.
 .IP \fB-u\fP
diff --git a/docs/npc.1 b/docs/npc.1
index 3e7af39..5acee9e 100644
--- a/docs/npc.1
+++ b/docs/npc.1
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ npc \(en show non-printing characters
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 
 npc
-.RB ( -et )
+.RB [ -et ]
 .\"
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 
diff --git a/docs/scrut.1 b/docs/scrut.1
index 56383b8..2b95bee 100644
--- a/docs/scrut.1
+++ b/docs/scrut.1
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ scrut \(en scrutinize file properties
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 
 scrut
-.RB ( -LSbcdefgkprsuwx )
-.RB [ file... ]
+.RB [ -LSbcdefgkprsuwx ]
+.B file...
 .\"
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 
diff --git a/docs/str.1 b/docs/str.1
index 22ffea1..1a4d8e4 100644
--- a/docs/str.1
+++ b/docs/str.1
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ str \(en test string arguments
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 
 str
-.RB [ type ]
-.RB [ string... ]
+.B type string...
 .\"
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 
diff --git a/docs/strcmp.1 b/docs/strcmp.1
index 0ad21b2..c99c8c8 100644
--- a/docs/strcmp.1
+++ b/docs/strcmp.1
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ strcmp \(en compare strings
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 
 strcmp
-.RM [ string ]
-.RB [ strings... ]
+.B string string...
 .\"
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 
diff --git a/docs/swab.1 b/docs/swab.1
index 72f0f19..42eef95 100644
--- a/docs/swab.1
+++ b/docs/swab.1
@@ -11,11 +11,8 @@ swab \(en swap bytes
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 
 swab
-.RB ( -f )
-.RB ( -w
-.R [
-.B word size
-.R ])
+.RB [ -f ]
+.RB [ -w\ word_size ]
 .\"
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 
@@ -25,11 +22,10 @@ Swap the latter and former halves of a block of bytes.
 
 .IP \fB-f\fP
 Ignore SIGINT signal.
-.IP \fB-w\fP
-Configures the word size; that is, the size in bytes of the block size
-on which to operate. The default word size is 2. The word size must be
-cleanly divisible by 2, otherwise the block of bytes being processed can\(cqt be
-halved.
+.IP \fB-w\fP\ \fIword_size\fP
+Configures the word size; that is, the size in bytes of the block size on which
+to operate. The default word size is 2. The word size must be cleanly divisible
+by 2, otherwise the block of bytes being processed can\(cqt be halved.
 .\"
 .SH EXAMPLES
 
diff --git a/src/dj.c b/src/dj.c
index 8a6732c..beafde8 100644
--- a/src/dj.c
+++ b/src/dj.c
@@ -313,9 +313,9 @@ parse(char *s){
 static int
 usage(void){
 
-	fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s (-AdfHqQ) (-a [byte]) (-c [count])\n"
-		"\t(-i [input file]) (-b [input block size]) (-s [input offset])\n"
-		"\t(-o [output file]) (-B [output block size]) (-S [output offset])\n",
+	fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s [-AdfHqQ] [-a byte] [-c count]\n"
+		"\t[-i file] [-b block_size] [-s offset]\n"
+		"\t[-o file] [-B block_size] [-S offset]\n",
 		program_name);
 
 	return EX_USAGE;
diff --git a/src/intcmp.c b/src/intcmp.c
index 408474b..d6dff0d 100644
--- a/src/intcmp.c
+++ b/src/intcmp.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]){
 
 	if(optind + 2 /* ref cmp */ > argc){
 usage:		fprintf(stderr,
-			"Usage: %s (-eghl) [integer] [integer...]\n",
+			"Usage: %s [-egl] integer integer...\n",
 			argv[0] == NULL ? program_name : argv[0]);
 		return EX_USAGE;
 	}
diff --git a/src/mm.c b/src/mm.c
index dc337b7..e905b35 100644
--- a/src/mm.c
+++ b/src/mm.c
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ oserr(char *s, char *r){
  * returns an exit status appropriate for a usage error. */
 int usage(char *s){
 
-	fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s (-aenu) (-i [input])... (-o [output])...\n", s);
+	fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s [-aenu] [-i input]... [-o output]...\n", s);
 
 	return EX_USAGE;
 }
diff --git a/src/npc.c b/src/npc.c
index 8b97180..1f96668 100644
--- a/src/npc.c
+++ b/src/npc.c
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]){
 			}
 
 	if(argc > optind){
-usage:		fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s (-eht)\n", argv[0]);
+usage:		fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s [-et]\n", argv[0]);
 		return EX_USAGE;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/scrut.c b/src/scrut.c
index c5b675f..d85d243 100644
--- a/src/scrut.c
+++ b/src/scrut.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]){
 			if(ops[i] == 'e')
 				continue;
 			else if(ops[i] == 'h'){
-usage:				fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s (-%s) [file...]\n",
+usage:				fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s [-%s] file...\n",
 					argv[0] == NULL
 						? program_name
 						: argv[0],
diff --git a/src/str.c b/src/str.c
index ae03b1d..b4725eb 100644
--- a/src/str.c
+++ b/src/str.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]){
 				goto pass;
 	}
 
-	fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s [type] [string...]\n",
+	fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s type string...\n",
 		argv[0] == NULL ? program_name : argv[0]);
 
 	return EX_USAGE;
diff --git a/src/strcmp.c b/src/strcmp.c
index acb4946..33b73c2 100644
--- a/src/strcmp.c
+++ b/src/strcmp.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]){
 	int i;
 
 	if(argc < 3){
-		fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s [string] [string...]\n",
+		fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s string string...\n",
 			argv[0] == NULL ? program_name : argv[0]);
 		return EX_USAGE;
 	}
diff --git a/src/swab.rs b/src/swab.rs
index d05b651..e723819 100644
--- a/src/swab.rs
+++ b/src/swab.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ fn oserr(s: &str, e: Error) -> ExitCode {
 }
 
 fn usage(s: &str) -> ExitCode {
-	eprintln!("Usage: {} (-f) (-w [wordsize])", s);
+	eprintln!("Usage: {} [-f] [-w word_size]", s);
 	ExitCode::from(EX_USAGE as u8)
 }