Definition of abridge
abridged
;abridging
transitive verb
1 : to shorten by omission of words without sacrifice of sense : condense abridge a novel an abridged dictionary
2 : to shorten in duration or extent Tess wished to abridge her visit as much as possible … — Thomas Hardy
3 formal : to reduce in scope : diminish attempts to abridge the right of free speech
4 archaic : deprive
abridger
nounIndulge Your Inner Word Nerd
Examples of abridge in a Sentence
abridge a dictionary by omitting rare words
the library's hours have been drastically abridged to cut costs
Recent Examples of abridge from the Web
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The 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America prohibits states from making or enforcing any law that would abridge the privileges of any U.S. citizen.
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Gun-rights supporters say self-defense is a fundamental right that is improperly abridged by a duty to retreat in the face of danger.
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There may be cases of juror bias so extreme that, almost by definition, the jury trial right has been abridged.
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To punish the exercise of this right to discuss public affairs or to penalize it through libel judgments is to abridge or shut off discussion of the very kind most needed.
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The First Amendment only protects you from having the government abridge your speech.
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A world where no man may abridge the liberty of another.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abridge'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of abridge
Synonym Discussion of abridge
ABRIDGE Defined for Kids
abridge
playDefinition of abridge for Students
abridged
;abridging
: to shorten by leaving out some parts abridge a dictionary
Law Dictionary
abridge
playLegal Definition of abridge
abridged
abridging
: to diminish or reduce in scope no State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States — U.S. Constitution amend. XIV
abridgment
orabridgement
nounLearn More about abridge
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See words that rhyme with abridge Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for abridge Spanish Central: Translation of abridge Nglish: Translation of abridge for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of abridge for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
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