shortcut

noun short·cut \ ˈshȯrt-ˌkət also -ˈkət \

|Updated on: 22 Jul 2018

Definition of shortcut

1 : a route more direct than the one ordinarily taken

2 : a method or means of doing something more directly and quickly than and often not so thoroughly as by ordinary procedure

a shortcut to success

3 : a key or combination of keys on a computer keyboard programmed to perform a specific function when pressed

You can open any item by clicking it or by assigning it a keyboard shortcut.
—Christopher Breen

— called also hot key

See shortcut defined for English-language learners

See shortcut defined for kids

Examples of shortcut in a Sentence

Wait, I know a shortcut. Turn left here.
We took a shortcut home.
Let's take the shortcut through the woods.
I used a shortcut to calculate the total weight.
There are no shortcuts to learning another language.
Mistakes were made because too many shortcuts were taken.

Recent Examples of shortcut from the Web

Micron, in a separate lawsuit in California, alleges Jinhua masterminded the plan to take a shortcut through a thicket of knowledge Micron accumulated during decades of investment.

— chuin-wei yap, WSJ, "Taiwan’s Technology Secrets Come Under Assault From China," 1 July 2018
There are no shortcuts There was never a Sunday that Tim sat down in the moderator’s chair without doing his homework.

— NBC News, "Tim Russert: Loss and lessons a decade later," 13 June 2018
Han takes a dangerous shortcut through the maelstrom that pushes his piloting skills to their limit.

— dan gvozden, The Hollywood Reporter, "74 'Star Wars' Questions 'Solo' Insisted on Answering," 1 June 2018
Luckily, there are shortcuts, like beauty pillowcases, which may not promise to turn you into, say, Queen Bey overnight, but do claim to help reduce acne, prevent wrinkles, and keep hair shiny.

— macaela mackenzie, Allure, "The Night Dual-Sided Beauty Pillowcase Targets Combination Skin as You Sleep," 12 Apr. 2018
One venerable shortcut, dating at least to David Garrick in the 18th century, has been to ditch tricky passages.

— The Economist, "The making of a Shakespearean actor," 15 Mar. 2018
The two-lane asphalt road connects Norco and Montz and is a popular shortcut for motorists.

— littice bacon-blood, NOLA.com, "Bonnet Carre Spillway Road to reopen Tuesday," 4 June 2018
Once at the University of Portland, Rawlings did her part by refusing to take shortcuts.

— ken goe, OregonLive.com, "The stars converge: Quick facts about this weekend's Prefontaine Classic," 24 May 2018
Taking a shortcut to the pros may have been an option more than once for Fumagalli.

— rick armstrong, Aurora Beacon-News, "Patience pays off for Wisconsin tight end Troy Fumagalli as Denver Broncos select him in NFL draft," 29 Apr. 2018

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

First Known Use of shortcut

1637

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

shortcut

verb

Definition of shortcut

shortcut; shortcutting

transitive verb

: to shorten (a route, a procedure, etc.) by use of a shortcut; also : circumvent

intransitive verb

: to take or use a shortcut

Examples of shortcut in a Sentence

are you sure there's no way to shortcut the entrance requirements?

Recent Examples of shortcut from the Web

Rest assured, these aren’t actual apps, but instead shortcuts to Nokia’s web client.

— michael zelenko, The Verge, "There’s no perfect minimalist phone — yet," 3 May 2018
To push revenues to 2008 levels, Zinke would have to do more than sell leases and help companies shortcut environmental regs.

— elliott d. woods, Outside Online, "Zinke's Plan to Fund the Park Service Is Pure Fantasy," 24 Mar. 2018
Lidia Bastianich knows how to shortcut even the simplest of recipes.

— jill wendholt silva, charlotteobserver, "Want to celebrate with style? Celebrate like an Italian – Lidia Bastianich | Charlotte Observer," 22 Dec. 2017
Technically, pesto should be pounded or processed to a paste, but sometimes shortcuts pay off.

— claire saffitz, Bon Appetit, "Pasta with Chopped Pesto," 19 Aug. 2017
These kinds of horizontal gene transfers, where genes shortcut the usual passage from parent to offspring and instead move directly between individuals, are rare in animals, but common among bacteria.

— ed yong, The Atlantic, "How Mushrooms Became Magic," 24 Aug. 2017

First Known Use of shortcut

1915

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

SHORTCUT Defined for English Language Learners

shortcut

noun

Definition of shortcut for English Language Learners

: a shorter, quicker, or easier way to get to a place
: a quicker or easier way to do something

SHORTCUT Defined for Kids

shortcut

noun short·cut \ ˈshȯrt-ˌkət \

Definition of shortcut for Students

: a shorter, quicker, or easier way

Learn More about shortcut

See words that rhyme with shortcut Spanish Central: Translation of shortcut Nglish: Translation of shortcut for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of shortcut for Arabic speakers

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Definition of shortcut

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First Known Use of shortcut

shortcut

Definition of shortcut

Examples of shortcut in a Sentence

Recent Examples of shortcut from the Web

First Known Use of shortcut

SHORTCUT Defined for English Language Learners

shortcut

Definition of shortcut for English Language Learners

SHORTCUT Defined for Kids

shortcut

Definition of shortcut for Students

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