1
as in little
having relatively little height
a lot of boys are shorter than the girls in middle school, but they quickly catch up by high school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in brief
not lasting for a considerable time
fortunately for those of us in the hot sun, the graduation speech was short and to the point
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lacking
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
regrettably, the art supplies are short this year, so you'll have to share
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in brittle
having a texture that readily breaks into little pieces under pressure
short pastry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in blunt
being or characterized by direct, brief, and potentially rude speech or manner
I didn't mean to be so short with you by responding to your request with a snippy "I'm busy!"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in abruptly
with great suddenness
the bicyclist ahead of me unexpectedly pulled up short and I unavoidably plowed into him
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to squeeze
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
charged that the used-car dealer had been shorting customers for years
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in feature
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of short
Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 18 Aug. 2025
And even though this item is created in collaboration with New York stylist and clean-girl aesthetic lover Coco Schiffer, this campy V-neck blouse really adds some personality, cheer, and silhouette to either its matching co-ord shorts or a pair of jeans.
—Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2025
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2025
These versatile bottoms are the perfect length for our short stature, and the wide-leg silhouette looks a tad more like trousers when compared to other yoga pants.
—Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 11 Sep. 2025
Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
The Cardinals turned that gift into a four-run inning, and the Giants’ comeback efforts fell short in a 4-3 loss at Busch Stadium.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Ryan Baker, CNBC, 30 July 2025
Often, those companies have a large amount of shares being shorted, which can lead to price increases and force hedge funds and other firms betting against these companies to take a sizable financial loss.
—Sara Chernikoff, USA Today, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for short
Adjective
Running gear essentially remained the same until the post-WWII boom in synthetics, which saw the development of fabrics with specific moisture-wicking and temperature-regulating qualities that proved far preferable than a pair of old gym shorts and a cotton tank top.
—Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 18 Aug. 2025
And even though this item is created in collaboration with New York stylist and clean-girl aesthetic lover Coco Schiffer, this campy V-neck blouse really adds some personality, cheer, and silhouette to either its matching co-ord shorts or a pair of jeans.
—Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2025
Adverb
When in a forest, stay in proximity to shorter tree groupings.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2025
These versatile bottoms are the perfect length for our short stature, and the wide-leg silhouette looks a tad more like trousers when compared to other yoga pants.
—Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
The team posted just one run in the loss as the offense came up short against Bryce Elder.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
The Cardinals turned that gift into a four-run inning, and the Giants’ comeback efforts fell short in a 4-3 loss at Busch Stadium.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
When the price of a shorted stock rises instead of falling, those investors who shorted the stock will also buy back their shares to minimize further losses.
—Ryan Baker, CNBC, 30 July 2025
Often, those companies have a large amount of shares being shorted, which can lead to price increases and force hedge funds and other firms betting against these companies to take a sizable financial loss.
—Sara Chernikoff, USA Today, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for short
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short
Adjective
-
The Olympic silver medalist ran textbook races all season with little to no critiques on form and competitive nature.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Most available positions are informal, poorly compensated and offer little stability or room for career growth.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In a brief video snippet accompanying the post, Cyrus is seen in close-up staring directly into the camera while wearing what looks like surgical gauze around her chin and head as more white material is blown by a breeze around her face.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Broader market reactions have been muted, barring brief spikes in oil prices when Israel entered direct confrontations with Hamas’ crude-rich patron Iran and with other of Tehran’s proxies, such as Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis.—
Ruxandra Iordache,Emma Graham,
CNBC,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
That is not to say that his coverage abilities are in any way lacking, but the Jaguars might see more value in Hunter catching passes to start.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
-
It can be used to crudely express boredom, annoyance or to signal that something is self-indulgent or lacking purpose.—
Sofi Zeman
August 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
For city-dwellers that battle hard water, dry, cold air, and random bouts of sidewalk grate humidity — this is the duo your brittle strands need.—
Tanya Akim,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The verification process required meticulous preparation, including heat-treating the brittle Nb3Sn materials in furnaces at temperatures over 650°C (1202°F) to impart their superconducting properties.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Leslie had been discovered deceased in her upstairs bathroom, with the autopsy listing her official cause of death as blunt force trauma.—
Claire Lempert,
ABC News,
12 Sep. 2025
-
By reintroducing the War title, the Administration is sending a blunt message and in cyberspace, America is not only defending but also going on the offensive.—
Emil Sayegh,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Barry Lian, a 24-year-old master’s degree graduate from southeastern China who spent three years studying in the US, had dreams of working on Wall Street – until his student visa was abruptly revoked last July.—
Joyce Jiang,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The shocking assassination of the Turning Point USA co-founder abruptly ended the event as thousands ran in panic and left the nation reeling.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
My sister looked up at me and ever so gently, with barely perceptible pressure, squeezed my hand.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
If real estate values turn soft in a region, the decline could squeeze a crucial revenue stream for cities, counties, regional agencies and school districts.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The 2025 Ford Explorer’s welcome new features add function to an already good midsize SUV.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
His killing could become not just a tragedy but a catalyst—an event that radicalizes ever more Americans, less an aberration than a feature of our increasingly perilous national politics.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Short.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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