What does "shorten" mean?
To make shorter; to abbreviate.
Shorten
/ˈʃɔːtn̩/ name, verb
name, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To make shorter; to abbreviate.
- Grammar: shorten is listed as name, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abbreviate, abridge, condense, cut.
- Useful contrasts: agonizing, double character, elaborate description.
- Usage evidence: High operating temperatures shorten lubricant life.
How to use "shorten"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "shorten" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "shorten" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "shorten" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "shorten" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "shorten" is acting as name, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abbreviate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "shorten", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To make shorter; to abbreviate. transitive
"York came round to our heads and shortened the rein himself, one hole I think; every little makes a difference, be it for better or worse, and that day we had a steep hill to go up."
- 2 edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate wordnet
- 3 To become shorter. intransitive
- 4 reduce in scope while retaining essential elements wordnet
- 5 To make deficient (as to); to deprive (of). transitive
"Spoiled of his nose, and shorten'd of his ears."
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 become short or shorter wordnet
- 7 To make short or friable, as pastry, with butter, lard, etc. transitive
- 8 make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration wordnet
- 9 To reduce or diminish in amount, quantity, or extent; to lessen. transitive
"to shorten an allowance of food"
- 10 make short or shorter wordnet
- 11 To make crumbly. transitive
"Corn flour makes delicious pie crust, and needs less lard to shorten it."
- 12 To take in the slack of (a rope). transitive
- 13 To reduce (sail) by taking it in. transitive
- 14 to dress (a baby) in a short (rather than long) gown dated, transitive
"Anne and Leslie had another cry the next week when they shortened Little Jem. Anne felt the tragedy of it until evening when in his long nightie she found her own dear baby again."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Example
"High operating temperatures shorten lubricant life."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "shorten"?
Common synonyms include: abbreviate, abridge, condense, cut, reduce, trim.
How do you use "shorten" in a sentence?
High operating temperatures shorten lubricant life.
How do you pronounce "shorten"?
Pronounced /ˈʃɔːtn̩/.
Etymology
From Middle English shortnen, schortenen, equivalent to short + -en (verbal suffix). In some senses, a continuation (in altered form) of Middle English schorten (“to make short, shorten”), from Old English sċortian (“to become short”), from Proto-Germanic *skurtōną (“to shorten”).