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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in abridgement
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of shortening
Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2025
In the world of Trump bribery, this should be worth a commutation—a shortening—of her sentence.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2025
Consider shortening time outdoors to avoid inhaling #AirPollution.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shortening
Verb
Unlike the typical butter-and-water combo, the bakery uses a blend of vegetable shortening and milk, which keeps the crust extra flaky and tender, perfect for holding any filling.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2025
In the world of Trump bribery, this should be worth a commutation—a shortening—of her sentence.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Noun
Those issues cropped up in the bottom of the fourth, shortening what had been a promising start.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2025
Consider shortening time outdoors to avoid inhaling #AirPollution.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shortening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortening
Verb
-
The French prime minister was widely expected to lose the motion after failing to win support from political rivals on both the right and left for 2026 budget plans aimed at reducing the country's yawning budget deficit.—
Ganesh Rao,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
-
At Tufts University, scientists have developed a new drug that aims to boost weight loss while also reducing the nausea, muscle loss and weight regain associated with popular GLP-1 medications.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Before the abbreviation stuck, the property was known as the Kildare Hotel and Golf Club.—
Mike Dojc,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
These terms are abbreviations for probability: a 10-year flood is a volume of flow that occurs on average once every 10 years, based on the records of flow for that stream.—
Ellen Wohl
August 20,
Literary Hub,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The move to question Europe’s harsh CO2 curtailment rules coincides with Trump Administration efforts to terminate rules based on the case that CO2 is a danger to public health These rules form the basis for U.S. greenhouse gas regulations.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
-
The curtailment of academic freedom, the deportation of foreign students, the banning of protests: all of this is being done under the pretext of protecting Jews, who alone are entitled to protections that other groups apparently don’t merit.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The overall idea is to avoid abruptly curtailing water for users, but farmers in southern New Mexico have concerns about how much water will be available and who will be able to use it.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
30 Aug. 2025
-
Reports are also emerging that Ukraine may have knocked out a fifth of Russia’s refining capacity via drone attacks, severely curtailing Moscow’s ability to service its war economy.—
Gaurav Sharma,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Before the employee approves, a contracting agent built into the same workflow recognizes that the supplier has not fulfilled its sustainable sourcing obligations, which could expose the company to reputational risk and stiff fines.—
Monish Darda,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Mills has denied wrongdoing in the contracting matter, according to Politico.—
Nick Mordowanec,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The contraction has been particularly brutal for Hollywood’s production assistants, many of whom are feeling stuck at what is supposed to be the starting line of their careers.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
-
More contractions could be coming soon.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The junior launched himself through a pile for a two-yard touchdown rush, trimming the deficit to 35-34.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
-
With revisions earlier this year mostly trimming prior readings, more downward revisions could be due.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shortening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortening. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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