short shrift

noun

Definition of short shriftnext
as in neglect

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of short shrift Putin’s comments got short shrift from Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, a government body, which said the remarks were a flagrant attempt by the Russian leader to shift the blame away from Moscow. — ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026 Some wives and girlfriends balk at the label, calling it demeaning shorthand that gives short shrift to a woman’s own worth. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026 Sleep is fundamental to good health, and people who give short shrift to sleep are more likely to gain weight and be more sedentary. — Allison Aubrey, NPR, 13 July 2026 Haaland complained to referee Anthony Taylor about Gabriel pulling him back, but got short shrift. — Jack Lang, New York Times, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for short shrift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for short shrift
  1. neglect
  2. disregard
Noun
  • All of those children were known to the Department of Children and Families and had referrals for abuse or neglect.
    — Kaitlin McCallum, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The building already has materials, dimensions, defects, histories, neighbors, owners, previous uses, and established patterns of maintenance or neglect.
    — Julian Rose, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of neglect
Noun
  • In addition, the jury found the two deputies acted with reckless disregard and awarded $10 million in punitive damages.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Waititi’s the opposite of a detailed world-builder, which can be a good quality — his joyful disregard is what made his first Thor film so enjoyable.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of disregard

Browse Nearby Words

shorts
short shrift
shortsidedness
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Short shrift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/short%20shrift. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of defer

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
woman sitting on floor holding book in front of her face on pink background
Famous Novels, Last Lines Quiz Needless to say, spoiler alert.
See All