1
as in little
having relatively little height
a lot of boys are shorter than the girls in middle school, but they quickly catch up by high school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in brief
not lasting for a considerable time
fortunately for those of us in the hot sun, the graduation speech was short and to the point
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lacking
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
regrettably, the art supplies are short this year, so you'll have to share
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in brittle
having a texture that readily breaks into little pieces under pressure
short pastry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in blunt
being or characterized by direct, brief, and potentially rude speech or manner
I didn't mean to be so short with you by responding to your request with a snippy "I'm busy!"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in abruptly
with great suddenness
the bicyclist ahead of me unexpectedly pulled up short and I unavoidably plowed into him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to squeeze
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
charged that the used-car dealer had been shorting customers for years
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in feature
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of short
Jim Shepard, New Yorker, 8 June 2025
In particular, short strands of RNA called aptamers securely bind to other molecules.
—Philip Ball, Wired News, 8 June 2025
Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025
For the second straight game, the Sox came up short in a rally against Orioles closer Félix Bautista.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2025
Waist shorts Waist shorts are a trendy option for new and casual cyclists and feature a low-rise style.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2025
Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 6 June 2025
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, Anderson’s Academy Award-winning short based on the 1977 Roald Dahl short story of the same name, feels like a children’s pop-up book come to life.
—Shannon Carlin, Time, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for short
Adjective
The rest of the family had gone away for a short holiday.
—Jim Shepard, New Yorker, 8 June 2025
In particular, short strands of RNA called aptamers securely bind to other molecules.
—Philip Ball, Wired News, 8 June 2025
Adverb
Despite this, Houston did fall short in the postseason, losing to the Golden State Warriors in the first round.
—Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025
For the second straight game, the Sox came up short in a rally against Orioles closer Félix Bautista.
—Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025
Verb
The world’s most powerful leaders arrive in Cape Town with relatively little fanfare, but that changes later when the heads of state are held hostage in the hotel’s conference room by a rogue group, led by Rutledge (Antony Starr), a former U.S. army officer, determined to short the market.
—Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2025
Waist shorts Waist shorts are a trendy option for new and casual cyclists and feature a low-rise style.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
He was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts, according to authorities.
—Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 6 June 2025
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, Anderson’s Academy Award-winning short based on the 1977 Roald Dahl short story of the same name, feels like a children’s pop-up book come to life.
—Shannon Carlin, Time, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for short
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short
Adjective
-
An award-winning toy creator and a doctor have teamed up to launch a new company that manufactures products designed to make health care less scary for little kids, and less stressful for parents.—
Joan Verdon,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
No matter how sweet, the little crocodile grows bigger and more difficult to care for.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
10 June 2025
Adjective
-
The private residence was used for a brief exterior shot only in the movie.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2025
-
Peyton Manning Doesn't Hold Back About Aaron Rodgers Amid Steelers Rumors During an appearance on 93.7 The Fan, Marino revealed some brief thoughts on Rodgers and the Steelers.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
Accordingly, Abbas has presided over a period in which many of the nascent institutions created by Oslo are, at best, brittle.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
-
If Elden Ring — and the many FromSoftware games in its lineage — is about individual improvement, about experimenting with playstyles and adjusting your way of thinking until a brick wall becomes brittle before finally crumbling, then Nightreign is about improving as a team.—
Joshua Rivera,
Vulture,
29 May 2025
Adjective
-
Isaac Leal, 17, died on Monday, June 2, from a blunt force injury to the head, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 June 2025
-
His autopsy revealed his head had blunt force trauma.—
Julia Marnin,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2025
Adverb
-
In February, creative director Sabato De Sarno abruptly left Gucci before Milan Fashion Week.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
-
But just a few weeks later — after President Donald Trump announced widescale tariffs and the stock market dropped precipitously, bubbling up recession fears — some would-be vacationers abruptly scaled back their spending plans, a second round of the survey found.—
Ana Teresa Solá,
CNBC,
31 May 2025
Verb
-
In some towns, utility poles were removed so the caravans could squeeze through.—
Angela Jackson,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
-
Hundreds of people squeezed into the Jewish Community Center in Boulder, Colo., for a vigil that featured prayer, singing and emotional testimony from a victim and witnesses of the firebombing attack in the city’s downtown, after a federal judge blocked the deportation of the suspect’s family.—
Colleen Slevin,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
The stylish design comes in four color options to fit nearly any space, while the 360-degree swivel feature allows for quiet, seamless movement.—
Megan Schaltegger,
People.com,
4 June 2025
-
Low-cost subscriptions can offer robust features like centralized management dashboards, advanced reporting and dedicated support.—
Harry Kazakian,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
Yes, Georgia and Paul split this season as the blowback from the trial — and Paul's support of Proposition 38, disastrous for small businesses — imperiled his mayoral career.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
7 June 2025
-
Farmers watered their crops less, and saw smaller harvests as a result.—
Annika Merrilees,
Sacbee.com,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Short.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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