diff --git a/src/build/__main__.py b/src/build/__main__.py
index 916964b3..743c28a9 100644
--- a/src/build/__main__.py
+++ b/src/build/__main__.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 import warnings
 
 from collections.abc import Iterator, Sequence
+from functools import partial
 from typing import NoReturn, TextIO
 
 import build
@@ -275,7 +276,12 @@ def main_parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
             ).strip(),
             '    ',
         ),
-        formatter_class=argparse.RawTextHelpFormatter,
+        formatter_class=partial(
+            argparse.RawDescriptionHelpFormatter,
+            # Prevent argparse from taking up the entire width of the terminal window
+            # which impedes readability.
+            width=min(shutil.get_terminal_size().columns - 2, 127),
+        ),
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         'srcdir',
@@ -307,6 +313,7 @@ def main_parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
         '-o',
         type=str,
         help=f'output directory (defaults to {{srcdir}}{os.sep}dist)',
+        metavar='PATH',
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         '--skip-dependency-check',
@@ -318,14 +325,17 @@ def main_parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
         '--no-isolation',
         '-n',
         action='store_true',
-        help='do not isolate the build in a virtual environment',
+        help='disable building the project in an isolated virtual environment. '
+        'Build dependencies must be installed separately when this option is used',
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         '--config-setting',
         '-C',
         action='append',
-        help='pass options to the backend.  options which begin with a hyphen must be in the form of '
-        '"--config-setting=--opt(=value)" or "-C--opt(=value)"',
+        help='settings to pass to the backend.  Multiple settings can be provided. '
+        'Settings beginning with a hyphen will erroneously be interpreted as options to build if separated '
+        'by a space character; use ``--config-setting=--my-setting -C--my-other-setting``',
+        metavar='KEY[=VALUE]',
     )
     return parser