shorthand

noun short·hand \ ˈshȯrt-ˌhand \

|Updated on: 4 Jul 2018

Definition of shorthand

1 : a method of writing rapidly by substituting characters, abbreviations, or symbols for letters, sounds, words, or phrases : stenography

2 : something likened to shorthand especially in providing rapid or abbreviated communication or representation

stereotype and cliché serve a purpose as a form of shorthand
—Stephanie Ericsson

headline shorthand

—

shorthand

adjective

See shorthand defined for English-language learners

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Recent Examples of shorthand from the Web

The dates most Americans remember (July 4, 1776, for example) work as shorthand for signal events.

— time staff, Time, "The 25 Moments From American History That Matter Right Now," 28 June 2018
For years, the Dazed 100 list has served as a shorthand for which celebrities, artists and actors are helping define and shape modern youth culture.

— stephen daw, Billboard, "Openly Gay K-Pop Star Holland Earns Top Spot on Annual Dazed 100 List," 27 June 2018
But in past decades, the phrase emerged as shorthand for a significant compromise or accord between two rivals.

— roy greene, BostonGlobe.com, "Lexicon: What’s behind a ‘grand bargain’?," 27 June 2018
Alongside the path runs a tall metal fence that separates us from some tan, patchy grass — the sort that works as visual shorthand for the ravages of winter.

— leslie kendall dye, Longreads, "City on a Hill," 23 June 2018
In fact, Jake’s pursuit of Amy—and their subsequent relationship—is central to the comedy and, to its credit, the show doesn’t use his interest in her as lazy shorthand for her desirability.

— sauleha kamal, The Atlantic, "The Character Who Made Me Love Brooklyn Nine-Nine," 12 June 2018
That’s Allison’s shorthand for the theory of an ancient Greek general who identified sudden, significant shifts in the relative strength of major powers as a primary cause (if not the primary cause) of military conflict.

— clay chandler, Fortune, "Are the U.S. and China "Destined for War"?," 2 June 2018
After news of Cohn’s upcoming resignation broke this week, his rivals in the White House texted reporters gleeful messages using a globe emoji as shorthand for the former Goldman Sachs banker.

— ishaan tharoor, Washington Post, "The far-right slur at the heart of Trump’s economic agenda," 9 Mar. 2018
The result is a contrast to The Walking Dead, which often uses a convenient shorthand to mark members of the group as seemingly dispensable, or gives them only a single characteristic to play, before killing them off.

— asher elbein, The Atlantic, "The Terror Is More Than a Chilling Monster Show," 1 May 2018

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

First Known Use of shorthand

1636

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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SHORTHAND Defined for English Language Learners

shorthand

noun

Definition of shorthand for English Language Learners

: a method of writing quickly by using symbols or abbreviations for sounds, words, or phrases
: a short or quick way of showing or saying something

Learn More about shorthand

See words that rhyme with shorthand Spanish Central: Translation of shorthand Nglish: Translation of shorthand for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shorthand

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