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Definition of shorten
shortened
;shortening
play \ˈshȯrt-niŋ, ˈshȯr-tən-iŋ\transitive verb
1a : to reduce the length or duration ofb : to cause to seem short
2a : to reduce in power or efficiency is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem — Isaiah 50:2 (Revised Standard Version)b obsolete : to deprive of effect
3 : to add fat to (something, such as pastry dough) in order to make tender and flaky
intransitive verb
: to become short or shorter
From the M-W Editors
Examples of shorten in a Sentence
shorten a pair of pants
He had to shorten the speech.
“Franklin D. Roosevelt” is often shortened to “FDR.”
Recent Examples of shorten from the Web
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And that has made for a shortage of space on the big-league roster, thus shortening stays there for the younger starters in Triple-A Louisville.
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But the more important gap—in relative power—between the associate attorney general and her boss, the deputy attorney general, could shorten in a hurry.
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Looking down at a screen overstretches some neck muscles and shortens others, says Fielding.
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But the front of the snout useful for gripping in shortened in Mystacodon, Lambert and colleagues observe, and the anatomy of the jaws seem more consistent with suction feeding.
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Trump has noted that the approval process for permits frequently can drag on for a decade and has pressed to shorten the length of the review process.
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In his first season, mercifully shortened by a labor dispute, Floyd used 14 different starters, including Rusty LaRue, Cory Carr and Kornel David.
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Without an enclosure, the structure's elevator is also exposed and its service life may be shortened, according to the assessment.
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And Johnston earned the victory on the mound in a complete-game effort shortened by the 10-run mercy rule.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shorten'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of shorten
14th century
Synonym Discussion of shorten
SHORTEN Defined for English Language Learners
shorten
playDefinition of shorten for English Language Learners
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: to become shorter
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: to make (something) shorter
SHORTEN Defined for Kids
shorten
playDefinition of shorten for Students
shortened
;shortening
: to make or become short or shorter I shortened my trip.
Learn More about shorten
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See words that rhyme with shorten Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for shorten Spanish Central: Translation of shorten Nglish: Translation of shorten for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of shorten for Arabic speakers
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