Definition of SHORT SHRIFT

Did You Know?

The word shrift is an archaic noun referring to the confession or absolution of sins. These days, "shrift" is rarely encountered on its own, but it does keep frequent company with "short" in the phrase "short shrift." The earliest known use of the phrase comes from William Shakespeare's play Richard III, in which Lord Hastings, who has been condemned by King Richard to be beheaded, is told by Sir Richard Ratcliffe to "Make a short shrift" as the king "longs to see your head." Shakespeare uses this phrase quite literally ("keep your confession short"), but since at least the 19th century the phrase has been used figuratively to refer to a small or inadequate amount of time or attention given to something.

Examples of short shrift in a Sentence

He gives short shrift to the author's later works.

Recent Examples on the Web

Lawmakers gave relatively short shrift to other issues. — Colin Lecher, The Verge, "Republicans pushed Pichai about bias allegations, leaving China and other issues behind," 11 Dec. 2018 While Kavanaugh’s role in the Starr investigation is a part of the appellate court judge’s resume that may have received short shrift during days of confirmation hearings, plenty of players from that era remain central to today’s confirmation fight. — Lisa Mascaro, The Seattle Times, "Kavanaugh’s ‘revenge’ theory spotlights past with Clintons," 2 Oct. 2018 For the most part, Mr. Corera gives wartime pigeons short shrift. — Hilda Kean, WSJ, "‘Operation Columba’ Review: Carriers of Hope," 7 Nov. 2018 When your schedule gets packed, eye doctor appointments may get short shrift. — Korin Miller, SELF, "8 Contact Lens Rules People With Dry Eyes Should Always Follow," 6 Sep. 2018 The Vietnam War, the explosion of white backlash and ghetto violence, and the fitful collapse of the New Deal coalition receive extremely short shrift. — Sean Wilentz, New York Times, "A Battle for the ‘Soul of America’? It’s as Old as America, One Historian Notes," 21 May 2018 Stoltenberg has strived to maintain good relations with Trump, but his calm demeanor at a news conference at day’s end could not dispel the palpable tension caused by an American president who gives short shrift to longtime alliances. — Eli Stokols, latimes.com, "Trump disrupts NATO summit with blasts at allies, especially Germany, and new defense spending demands," 11 July 2018 The couplings are uncovering some hard truths about rights and sexuality in Russia, where women are often given short shrift. — Amie Ferris-rotman, Washington Post, "At World Cup, Russians embrace the world, one relationship at a time," 9 July 2018 How dare anyone suggest that Texas, which until 2013 had to seek permission from the Department of Justice to move forward with any changes to its voting procedures, would attempt to short shrift minority voters. — Cristian Farias, Daily Intelligencer, "The Supreme Court Continues to Chip Away at Protections for Minority Voters," 25 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'short shrift.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.