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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shortens
All this interconnectivity shortens leads times, allowing for quicker iterations and faster trend response.
—
Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 18 May 2026
Same-day settlement shortens that window to just a few hours.
—Sharat Priya, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Heat can shrink fabrics, fade colors and weaken elastic fibers, which shortens the life of garments that would otherwise hold up for years.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
The moonless nights of mid-May are a fantastic time to spot the glowing band of the Milky Way arching across the spring sky, before the encroaching twilight of the summer months shortens the viewing window.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 8 May 2026
The new, shorter course (who comes in and shortens a course?
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
These compounds are widely seen as the main cause of the shuttle effect that shortens battery life and lowers efficiency.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026
On a warm day, that window shortens to one hour.
—Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 19 Apr. 2026
Hot and humid weather generally decreases air density, helping the ball carry, while cold weather increases density and shortens flight.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 18 May 2026
Same-day settlement shortens that window to just a few hours.
—Sharat Priya, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Heat can shrink fabrics, fade colors and weaken elastic fibers, which shortens the life of garments that would otherwise hold up for years.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
The moonless nights of mid-May are a fantastic time to spot the glowing band of the Milky Way arching across the spring sky, before the encroaching twilight of the summer months shortens the viewing window.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 8 May 2026
The new, shorter course (who comes in and shortens a course?
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
These compounds are widely seen as the main cause of the shuttle effect that shortens battery life and lowers efficiency.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026
On a warm day, that window shortens to one hour.
—Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 19 Apr. 2026
Hot and humid weather generally decreases air density, helping the ball carry, while cold weather increases density and shortens flight.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortens
Verb
-
The system enables closed-loop recycling, which extends material life cycles and reduces cotton emissions and pollution.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Footwear News,
14 May 2026
-
Oatmeal's beta-glucan fiber helps curb hunger, supports weight loss, and reduces harmful visceral fat.—
Colleen Doherty,
Verywell Health,
14 May 2026
Verb
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India’s neighbors are seeking additional fuel from New Delhi as the war in the Middle East curtails access to energy supplies from the Persian Gulf, giving Asia’s third-largest economy an opportunity to build goodwill across the region.—
Swati Gupta,
Bloomberg,
13 Mar. 2026
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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
Verb
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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
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As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
-
As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shortens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortens. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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