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Definitions

shorten

[shawr-tn] / ˈʃɔr tn /
VERB
diminish, decrease
Synonyms
STRONGEST
abbreviate compress curtail cut cut back cut down lessen minimize reduce shrink slash trim
STRONG
abridge bob chop clip condense contract dock edit elide excerpt lop retrench snip
WEAK
blue pencil boil down cut to the bone make a long story short put in a nutshell
Antonyms
STRONGEST
develop enlarge expand extend grow increase lengthen raise strengthen stretch
WEAK
amplify elongate

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The fast-entry rule would shorten the time it takes for a newly public company to make the Nasdaq-100 roster to less than a month.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

They shorten phrases like "inclusive representation" to "inclush-representash" and urge her to adopt the hashtag "wheely in love" to help it go viral.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

“The biggest challenge for consumer product companies is, how do you shorten that innovation cycle,” and move into the marketplace quickly, said Burwick.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

If untreated, acromegaly can lead to serious health problems and shorten life expectancy by about 10 years.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2026

At times he wishes he could disguise it, shorten it somehow, the way the other Indian boy in his school, Jayadev, had gotten people to call him Jay.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.