shorthand
noun
short·hand
ˈshȯrt-ˌhand 
1
: a method of writing rapidly by substituting characters, abbreviations, or symbols for letters, sounds, words, or phrases : stenography
2
: something likened to shorthand especially in providing rapid or abbreviated communication or representation
stereotype and cliché serve a purpose as a form of shorthand—
Stephanie Ericsson
Stephanie Ericssonheadline shorthand
shorthand
adjective
Examples of shorthand in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
During his tenure, talking about homelessness became a shorthand for bashing Democrat-run states and cities.
—Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
But some companies have defended their rights even as their products became shorthand for an entire category, including Xerox, Band-Aid and Velcro.
—Tim Carman, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
Highsmith structures them as telling details, the kinds of specifics that writers employ like shorthand to build a person in the reader’s mind.
—Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2024
Martin knows how utilize these elements as a sort of shorthand, and once the focus begins to shift more to both sides girding up for battle, Scoop starts to find its momentum.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2024
But where photographers had struggled to capture the nuances and fiery hues of the sun’s corona, Butler succeeded by taking meticulous shorthand notes during the eclipses, then filling in the gaps later, a bit like a paint by numbers kit.
—Elissaveta M. Brandon, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
Each accommodation was graded by husband-and-wife authors Marion and Alden Stevens on a scale from one to five stars, cementing the shorthand for top quality that’s now recognized around the world.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024
That’s a quick shorthand to denote a level of experience for voters.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2024
Like Beyonce and Madonna before her, shorthand popularly used names evidence notoriety and prestige.
—Chris Deubert, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
But some companies have defended their rights even as their products became shorthand for an entire category, including Xerox, Band-Aid and Velcro.
—Tim Carman, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024
Highsmith structures them as telling details, the kinds of specifics that writers employ like shorthand to build a person in the reader’s mind.
—Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2024
Martin knows how utilize these elements as a sort of shorthand, and once the focus begins to shift more to both sides girding up for battle, Scoop starts to find its momentum.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2024
But where photographers had struggled to capture the nuances and fiery hues of the sun’s corona, Butler succeeded by taking meticulous shorthand notes during the eclipses, then filling in the gaps later, a bit like a paint by numbers kit.
—Elissaveta M. Brandon, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
Each accommodation was graded by husband-and-wife authors Marion and Alden Stevens on a scale from one to five stars, cementing the shorthand for top quality that’s now recognized around the world.
—The Editors, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024
That’s a quick shorthand to denote a level of experience for voters.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2024
Like Beyonce and Madonna before her, shorthand popularly used names evidence notoriety and prestige.
—Chris Deubert, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shorthand.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near shorthand
Cite this Entry
“Shorthand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shorthand. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shorthand
noun
short·hand
ˈshȯrt-ˌhand
1
: a method of rapid writing by using symbols for sounds, words, or phrases
2
: a short or quick way of showing or saying something
shorthand
adjective
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