diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/StringUtils.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/StringUtils.java
index e7fd432cdc9..df9bcb8fb1d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/StringUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/StringUtils.java
@@ -8819,8 +8819,8 @@ public static String truncate(final String str, final int maxWidth) {
      * Specifically:
      * </p>
      * <ul>
-     * <li>If {@code str} is less than {@code maxWidth} characters long, return it.</li>
-     * <li>Else truncate it to {@code substring(str, offset, maxWidth)}.</li>
+     * <li>If {@code str} is shorter than {@code maxWidth}, returns a String containing the same characters.</li>
+     * <li>Else truncate it to a substring starting at {@code offset} with a maximum length of {@code maxWidth}.</li
      * <li>If {@code maxWidth} is less than {@code 0}, throw an {@link IllegalArgumentException}.</li>
      * <li>If {@code offset} is less than {@code 0}, throw an {@link IllegalArgumentException}.</li>
      * <li>In no case will it return a String of length greater than {@code maxWidth}.</li>
@@ -8861,7 +8861,7 @@ public static String truncate(final String str, final int maxWidth) {
      *
      * @param str      the String to truncate, may be null.
      * @param offset   left edge of source String.
-     * @param maxWidth maximum length of result String, must be positive.
+     * @param maxWidth maximum length of result String, must be non-negative.
      * @return truncated String, {@code null} if null String input.
      * @throws IllegalArgumentException If {@code offset} or {@code maxWidth} is less than {@code 0}.
      * @since 3.5