shortening

noun

short·​en·​ing ˈshȯrt-niŋ 

ˈshȯr-tᵊn-iŋ

1

: the action or process of making or becoming short

specifically : the dropping of the latter part of a word so as to produce a new and shorter word of the same meaning

2

: an edible fat used to shorten baked goods

Examples of shortening in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Using a pastry blender, cut in the ⅓ cup butter and the shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. —Jenavieve Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Jan. 2026

With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to shortening mixture, in 3 additions, alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat until just combined after each addition. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 25 Jan. 2026

Miller also likes the shortening of the portal window. —Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 23 Jan. 2026

The system comes preloaded with a vision–language–action (VLA) large model and a comprehensive dataset of over 10,000 real-world samples, enabling the robot to learn and execute new skills within hours, significantly shortening setup and training times. —Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 19 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for shortening

• foreshortening

Kids Definition

shortening

noun

short·​en·​ing

ˈshȯrt-niŋ, 

-ᵊn-iŋ

1

: a making or becoming short or shorter

2

: a fat (as butter or lard) used in baking especially to make pastry flaky or crumbly