as in reduces
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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Recent Examples of shortens
The urgency has grown as his career runway shortens.
—
Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
The new plan shortens the time between missions and redraws the map of which launches will achieve various program milestones.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Stefani Reynolds | Bloomberg | Getty Images The law shortens the annual enrollment period for ACA marketplace coverage.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026
Triarchy says the technology reduces water use by over 90 percent, eliminates toxic effluents, shortens production timelines and cuts costs.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 5 Mar. 2026
This reduces part count and shortens production timelines.
—New Atlas, 25 Feb. 2026
Senate Bill 1 also shortens the timeframe for Medicaid eligibility redeterminations, and requires the Secretary of Family and Social Services to transmit certain information to the federal government to prevent multiple state Medicaid enrollments.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
One bill requires legislative approval for major agency rules and shortens gubernatorial appointee terms to four years.
—Marissa Payne, Des Moines Register, 17 Feb. 2026
This kind of careful pruning is superior to topping, which results in weak and spindly growth and shortens a tree's lifespan.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 2026
Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
The new plan shortens the time between missions and redraws the map of which launches will achieve various program milestones.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Stefani Reynolds | Bloomberg | Getty Images The law shortens the annual enrollment period for ACA marketplace coverage.
—Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026
Triarchy says the technology reduces water use by over 90 percent, eliminates toxic effluents, shortens production timelines and cuts costs.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 5 Mar. 2026
This reduces part count and shortens production timelines.
—New Atlas, 25 Feb. 2026
Senate Bill 1 also shortens the timeframe for Medicaid eligibility redeterminations, and requires the Secretary of Family and Social Services to transmit certain information to the federal government to prevent multiple state Medicaid enrollments.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
One bill requires legislative approval for major agency rules and shortens gubernatorial appointee terms to four years.
—Marissa Payne, Des Moines Register, 17 Feb. 2026
This kind of careful pruning is superior to topping, which results in weak and spindly growth and shortens a tree's lifespan.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortens
Verb
-
This is a time of giving and getting support, because practical care reduces friction.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The revolutionary pharoah builds a great city and reduces spiritual chaos by focusing on a single-minded form of worship.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Advertisement The court's decision not only curtails a policy Trump has repeatedly credited with strengthening American leverage abroad, but also carries major financial and legal consequences.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Think of this as the pessimistic, narrower option, where the greenhouse effect curtails the zone's inner edge and the loss of carbon dioxide from a planetary atmosphere marks its outer edge.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That’s a tactic city financers used on several other bond projects as well, said Molly Scarbrough, a deputy program manager for the Denver GO Bond Program, which abbreviates general obligation bond.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
-
This risk decreases as the storm moves away.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shortens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortens. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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