as in abbreviation
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as in reducing
to make less in extent or duration
we decided to shorten the distance we had to walk home by cutting across the neighbor's lawn if Grandma has to go shopping today, you'll need to shorten your visit
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shortening
NPR, 15 Oct. 2025
In a stand mixer, thoroughly cream together the shortening, margarine, 3 cups of the sugar, and the eggs.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 29 Sep. 2025
For adult projects, Alloy works with the writer to develop a full manuscript, and Morgenstein finds this step a way of shortening the process.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shortening
Noun
The doctor shortage was already acute and is contributing to a shortening of the lifespans of rural Americans, says Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association.
—NPR, 15 Oct. 2025
In a stand mixer, thoroughly cream together the shortening, margarine, 3 cups of the sugar, and the eggs.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
The company’s ethos is centered on significantly shortening the drug discovery and development process, ultimately creating medicines to treat the most significant killers, starting with aggressive cancers like breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lymphoma.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 29 Sep. 2025
For adult projects, Alloy works with the writer to develop a full manuscript, and Morgenstein finds this step a way of shortening the process.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shortening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortening
Noun
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The first two abbreviations are easy enough to understand.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
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Joshua Jahn wrote using an abbreviation for armor-piercing, according to the FBI.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Under the new terms of the license, Chevron was authorized to pay fees and royalties to Venezuela in oil but not in cash, effectively reducing Chevron’s crude exports from the country by half, according to Reuters.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
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The initiative’s foundation addresses the problem of inconsistent and burdensome reporting by engaging the industry to define an optional (and non-exhaustive) questionnaire aimed at strengthening data quality and consistency while significantly reducing the administrative burden on suppliers.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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What’s left of it was led, at least for a while, by a 29-year-old White House appointee who helped craft Project 2025, the right-wing blueprint that broadly calls for the curtailment of civil rights enforcement.—
J. David McSwane,
ProPublica,
18 Oct. 2025
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In past shutdowns, that has led to the closures of hundreds of national parks and museums, the curtailment of veterans' services, the suspension of health inspections, the postponement of immigration hearings and a slew of other impacts.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Edo also followed Prince William and Kate Middleton's lead with the sweet sign off for his latest social post by abbreviating the children's first names with their initials to send an online message.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Jacobson tells us what conclusions emerged from the forum about how to rebuild in the face of defunding and a contracting market in general for documentaries.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
21 Oct. 2025
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The effort has also faced criticism over transparency after reports revealed that more than 2,000 people involved were required to sign nondisclosure agreements, limiting public access to spending and contracting details.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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No ordinance was passed that declared the bottom 5 percent of Burgher children (later raised to 10) superfluous, but this was the beginning of a long period of economic contraction throughout the empire, and competition for a dwindling supply of guild positions became intense.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
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For companies who have shrunk their senior teams, this C-suite contraction has been driven by several factors.—
Sarah Abbott,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the couple’s charitable organization, has been faced with criticism recently for curtailing its other philanthropic work.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
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The rebound in corporate profitability was largely helped by Beijing’s policies aimed at curtailing fierce price competition across industrial sectors, at a time when deflation in producer prices stretched into its third year.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Hassan’s team instead squeezed a photon’s intensity and demonstrated real-time control, fluctuating between intensity and phase-squeezing by adjusting the silica’s position relative to the beams.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shortening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortening. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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