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

Cut in butter or shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. — Kelly Brant, Arkansas Online, 16 June 2026

These defects propagate through the device layers, degrading electron mobility, increasing leakage current, and shortening device reliability lifetimes. — Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 8 June 2026

By reducing the need for time-consuming manual point-cloud tracing and data cross-referencing, the new feature helps design teams move more efficiently from raw site capture to CAD-ready drafts and architectural modeling, shortening project turnaround time and reducing manual drafting costs. — New Atlas, 8 June 2026

Made with a combination of peanut butter, butter, and shortening, these cookies are crisp and golden on the outside with a tender, moist interior. — Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 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