shorten

verb

short·​en ˈshȯr-tᵊn 

shortened; shortening ˈshȯrt-niŋ 

ˈshȯr-tᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

1

a

: to reduce the length or duration of

b

: to cause to seem short

2

a

: to reduce in power or efficiency

Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?

—Isaiah 50:2 (Revised Standard Version)

b

obsolete : to deprive of effect

3

: to add fat to (something, such as pastry dough) in order to make tender and flaky

intransitive verb

: to become short or shorter

shortener

ˈshȯrt-nər

ˈshȯr-tᵊn-ər 

noun

Synonyms of shorten

• reduce
• curtail
• truncate
• abbreviate
• abridge
• cut back

Choose the Right Synonym for shorten

shorten, curtail, abbreviate, abridge, retrench mean to reduce in extent.

shorten implies reduction in length or duration.

shorten a speech

curtail adds an implication of cutting that in some way deprives of completeness or adequacy.

ceremonies curtailed because of rain

abbreviate implies a making shorter usually by omitting some part.

using an abbreviated title

abridge implies a reduction in compass or scope with retention of essential elements and a relative completeness in the result.

the abridged version of the novel

retrench suggests a reduction in extent or costs of something felt to be excessive.

declining business forced the company to retrench

Examples of shorten in a Sentence

shorten a pair of pants

He had to shorten the speech.

“Franklin D. Roosevelt” is often shortened to “FDR.”

Recent Examples on the Web

This shift would aim to shorten lead times and reduce tariff uncertainty while maintaining the company’s certification standards for recycled and low-impact materials, Talbot said. —Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2025

Terms are 10 years, though age limits can shorten that time on the bench. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025

That merely meant coach Brian Dutcher didn’t have to delicately parcel out playing time while massaging egos on his Mariana Trench-deep roster, and the bench shortened by circumstance delivered a 77-45 win powered by a pair of true freshmen and a typically frenetic defensive effort. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025

In realistic conditions, where the pulse colors arrive at slightly different times (a phenomenon known as chirp), the plasma lens even shortened the pulses from 189 to 165 attoseconds. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for shorten

• fortin
• horton

Kids Definition

shorten

verb

short·​en ˈshȯrt-ᵊn 

shortened; shortening ˈshȯrt-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

1

: to make or become short or shorter

2

: to add shortening to (as pastry dough)

shortener

-nər 

-ᵊn-ər

noun