diff --git a/src/cli.c b/src/cli.c
index 0ce08efc..cd4758ec 100644
--- a/src/cli.c
+++ b/src/cli.c
@@ -116,31 +116,31 @@ usage(void)
    printf("  -?, --help               Display help\n");
    printf("\n");
    printf("Commands:\n");
-   printf("  flush [mode] [database]  Flush connections according to <mode>.\n");
+   printf("  flush [mode] [database]  Flush connections according to [mode].\n");
    printf("                           Allowed modes are:\n");
    printf("                           - 'gracefully' (default) to flush all connections gracefully\n");
    printf("                           - 'idle' to flush only idle connections\n");
    printf("                           - 'all' to flush all connections. USE WITH CAUTION!\n");
-   printf("                           If no <database> name is specified, applies to all databases.\n");
+   printf("                           If no [database] name is specified, applies to all databases.\n");
    printf("  ping                     Verifies if pgagroal is up and running\n");
    printf("  enable   [database]      Enables the specified databases (or all databases)\n");
    printf("  disable  [database]      Disables the specified databases (or all databases)\n");
-   printf("  shutdown [mode]          Stops pgagroal pooler. The <mode> can be:\n");
+   printf("  shutdown [mode]          Stops pgagroal pooler. The [mode] can be:\n");
    printf("                           - 'gracefully' (default) waits for active connections to quit\n");
    printf("                           - 'immediate' forces connections to close and terminate\n");
    printf("                           - 'cancel' avoid a previously issued 'shutdown gracefully'\n");
    printf("  status [details]         Status of pgagroal, with optional details\n");
-   printf("  switch-to <server>       Switches to the specified primary server\n");
-   printf("  conf <action>            Manages the configuration (e.g., reloads the configuration\n");
-   printf("                           The subcommand <action> can be:\n");
+   printf("  switch-to [server]       Switches to the specified primary server\n");
+   printf("  conf [action[            Manages the configuration (e.g., reloads the configuration\n");
+   printf("                           The subcommand [action] can be:\n");
    printf("                           - 'reload' to issue a configuration reload;\n");
    printf("                           - 'get' to obtain information about a runtime configuration value;\n");
    printf("                                   conf get <parameter_name>\n");
    printf("                           - 'set' to modify a configuration value;\n");
    printf("                                   conf set <parameter_name> <parameter_value>;\n");
    printf("                           - 'ls'  lists the configuration files used.\n");
-   printf("  clear <what>             Resets either the Prometheus statistics or the specified server.\n");
-   printf("                           <what> can be\n");
+   printf("  clear [what]             Resets either the Prometheus statistics or the specified server.\n");
+   printf("                           [what] can be\n");
    printf("                           - 'server' (default) followed by a server name\n");
    printf("                           - a server name on its own\n");
    printf("                           - 'prometheus' to reset the Prometheus metrics\n");