short list

noun

: a limited list of important items or individuals
especially : a list of candidates for final consideration (as for a position or a prize)
short-list transitive verb

Examples of short list in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Send that short list in advance so the room arrives ready to do real work together. Cynthia Pong, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026 Patients who once flew to Turkey purely for the price break now arrive with detailed clinic short lists, surgeon credentials in hand and questions about aftercare protocols. Ascend Agency, Denver Post, 18 June 2026 Players like Charlie Sifford (first Black player to earn a PGA Tour card), Lee Elder (first Black player in the Masters) and Calvin Peete (12 wins on the PGA Tour) are on the short list of African-Americans who pierced golf's racial barrier. ABC News, 17 June 2026 Many of the South End’s restaurants, and their chefs and owners, have earned acclaim well beyond Boston’s borders by the James Beard Foundation, and as well as many other short lists of America’s best food. Shannon McMahon, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for short list

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of short list was in 1927

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Cite this Entry

“Short list.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/short%20list. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.

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