as in conciseness
the condition of being short
the shortness of the commencement speech was much appreciated by the impatient graduates
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Recent Examples of shortness
How much of his life, his desperate desire for success, greatness, had been prompted by his shortness?
—
Literary Hub, 11 Mar. 2026
The team’s mean average height is 6-foot-4 due to the notable shortness of main rotation guards Tre Jones (6-foot-1) and Rob Dillingham (6-foot-2) and two-way guards Yuki Kawamura (5-foot-7) and Mac McClung (6-foot-2).
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Luzzatto said the relative shortness of that term is scaring away capital.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
February was deemed an appropriate time for a special observance of Black history not because of the shortness of the month, but instead to coincide with the birthdays of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
—Scott Talley, Freep.com, 15 Feb. 2025
Literary Hub, 11 Mar. 2026
The team’s mean average height is 6-foot-4 due to the notable shortness of main rotation guards Tre Jones (6-foot-1) and Rob Dillingham (6-foot-2) and two-way guards Yuki Kawamura (5-foot-7) and Mac McClung (6-foot-2).
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Luzzatto said the relative shortness of that term is scaring away capital.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
February was deemed an appropriate time for a special observance of Black history not because of the shortness of the month, but instead to coincide with the birthdays of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
—Scott Talley, Freep.com, 15 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortness
Noun
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The transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.—
Mary Divine,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
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The conciseness, the visual satisfaction, and the crucial interplay between image and word makes reading a good graphic novel—or, in this case, graphic memoir—an electrifying, transporting experience.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
One paramedic began chest compressions, pushing hard and steady on the patient’s chest.—
Ciara McCarthy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2026
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Plus, the textured shell helps resist scuffs, and the interior is thoughtfully laid out with mesh pockets and compression straps to keep everything in place.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Expansion and contraction is what creates potholes.—
Tara Molina,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
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Beets also contain nitrates, which the body converts to nitric oxide and uses to help increase blood flow throughout the body and improve the efficiency of skeletal muscle contraction, Collen says.—
Desireé Oostland,
Vogue,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shortness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortness. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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