short-circuit

verb

short-cir·cuit | \ ˈshȯrt-ˈsər-kət

short-circuited; short-circuiting; short-circuits

Definition of short-circuit

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to apply a short circuit to or establish a short circuit in

2 : bypass sense 2

3 : frustrate, impede

intransitive verb

: to become shunted by a short circuit The radio short-circuited.

short circuit

noun

Definition of short circuit (Entry 2 of 2)

: a connection of comparatively low resistance accidentally or intentionally made between points on a circuit between which the resistance is normally much greater

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about short-circuit

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Examples of short-circuit in a Sentence

Noun

The fire was caused by a short circuit.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

So when a short circuit hit the grid, the suddenly imbalanced system didn’t adjust to it as planned and the grid collapsed. — Washington Post, "Argentina: Faulty reprogramming caused 3-nation blackout," 3 July 2019 In at least five vehicles sold worldwide, the grommet has allowed moisture to seep into the battery, risking a short circuit or even a fire. — Aarian Marshall, WIRED, "Audi Recalls Some E-Tron SUVs Over a Battery Issue," 10 June 2019 Wiring connected to the hybrid vehicle’s power control unit could brush up too closely to the cover and wear down over time, creating an electrical short circuit that heats up, potentially leading to fire. — Shannon Liao, The Verge, "Toyota recalls a million Prius vehicles citing a fire risk," 6 Sep. 2018 The fire was attributed to a probable short circuit. — Washington Post, "World Digest: Jan. 18, 2018," 18 Jan. 2018 Ignoring knots in cords can damage internal wiring and cause short circuits or complete signal loss, according to Sennheiser rep Jeff Touzeau. — Rachel Z. Arndt, Popular Mechanics, "The Best Way to Wrap Your Headphones to Avoid Tangling," 30 Apr. 2013 However over the years short circuits or other damage to electrical cables and conduits has been blamed for underground manhole fires. — Martin Weil, Washington Post, "Smoke streams from manholes in Georgetown a warm Tuesday night.," 21 Feb. 2018 Any attempt to short circuit this process through a secretive end run to the courts in the name of security concerns should be squarely rejected. — Greg Nojeim, Eric Wenger, Ars Technica, "FBI vs. Facebook Messenger: What’s at stake?," 2 Oct. 2018 Government documents say a short circuit can develop in an air bag control computer made by parts supplier ZF-TRW, and the air bags can fail to deploy. — Tom Krisher, USA TODAY, "Kia recalls more than 500,000 vehicles over concerns that air bags may not inflate," 11 June 2018

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