diff --git a/internal/command/fmt.go b/internal/command/fmt.go
index 625e69326b5e..b57bc302bfd6 100644
--- a/internal/command/fmt.go
+++ b/internal/command/fmt.go
@@ -528,15 +528,18 @@ func (c *FmtCommand) trimNewlines(tokens hclwrite.Tokens) hclwrite.Tokens {
 
 func (c *FmtCommand) Help() string {
 	helpText := `
-Usage: terraform [global options] fmt [options] [DIR]
+Usage: terraform [global options] fmt [options] [TARGET]
 
-	Rewrites all Terraform configuration files to a canonical format. Both
-	configuration files (.tf) and variables files (.tfvars) are updated.
-	JSON files (.tf.json or .tfvars.json) are not modified.
+  Rewrites all Terraform configuration files to a canonical format. Both
+  configuration files (.tf) and variables files (.tfvars) are updated.
+  JSON files (.tf.json or .tfvars.json) are not modified.
 
-	If DIR is not specified then the current working directory will be used.
-	If DIR is "-" then content will be read from STDIN. The given content must
-	be in the Terraform language native syntax; JSON is not supported.
+  If TARGET is not specified, the command uses the current working directory.
+  If TARGET is a file, the command only uses the specified file. If TARGET
+  is "-" then the command reads from STDIN.
+
+  The content must be in the Terraform language native syntax; JSON is not
+  supported.
 
 Options:
 
diff --git a/website/docs/cli/commands/fmt.mdx b/website/docs/cli/commands/fmt.mdx
index c6868d733f9f..99ae10754dc7 100644
--- a/website/docs/cli/commands/fmt.mdx
+++ b/website/docs/cli/commands/fmt.mdx
@@ -45,12 +45,10 @@ and the generated files.
 
 ## Usage
 
-Usage: `terraform fmt [options] [DIR]`
+Usage: `terraform fmt [options] [TARGET]`
 
 By default, `fmt` scans the current directory for configuration files. If
-the `dir` argument is provided then it will scan that given directory
-instead. If `dir` is a single dash (`-`) then `fmt` will read from standard
-input (STDIN).
+you provide a directory for the `target` argument, then `fmt` will scan that directory instead. If you provide a file, then `fmt` will process just that file. If you provide a single dash (`-`), then `fmt` will read from standard input (STDIN).
 
 The command-line flags are all optional. The list of available flags are: