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

ˈshȯrt-ˌlist 

transitive verb

Examples of short list in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If the defense approaches even average, the Cowboys might win 12 or 13 games, which would put Dak — who was the MVP runner-up when Dallas won 12 games in 2023 — on the short list. — The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Those tags put the right passage on the short list instead of a plausible neighbor. — Chakkry Arunachalam, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026

Schrager joins a short list of individuals with ESPN television shows in 2026 built specifically around their personality. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2026

That kind of audit often brings up a short list of high-impact changes that don’t require a complete system overhaul. — Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for short list

• assist
• blacklist
• booklist
• checklist
• consist
• desist
• dismissed
• enlist
• exist
• insist
• oocyst
• persist