condenses; condensed; condensing
1
: to make (something) shorter or smaller by removing parts that are less important
The information is collected and then passed on to the CEO in condensed form.
a condensed [=abridged] version of the story
—often + to or intoWe've condensed the most important news down to a few paragraphs.
Every week, they condense several hours of videotape into a one half-hour TV show.
The book condenses nearly 50 years of history into 200 pages.
2
: to change from a gas into a liquid
The cooler temperatures cause the gas to condense into a liquid.
Moisture in the air condenses to form tiny drops of water.
3
: to remove water from (something) to make it thicker
Condense the milk by cooking it slowly.
a can of condensed soup [=soup that has had much of the water removed and that is served by heating it with milk or water]
Cite this Entry
“Condense.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/condense. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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