to shorten

Examples

• All

• The best thing about them is you can shorten them and wear them again.

  27 Dresses (2008)

• The effect here is to shorten the chain.

• It's going to shorten our build time a little bit because of their print time.

• This would shorten the German line and drive the French back towards Paris.

• Early time-motion studies helped to shorten operations and improve product quality.

  Academic text (2012)

• The army wanted a high tide to shorten the amount of exposed beach as the soldiers landed.

  Academic text (1994)

• For the majority of conscripts in Belgium, the length of service was shortened even further to eight months.

  Academic text (1997)

• My brother gave me an old suit to wear, but it didn't fit me well, and I needed to find a tailor who could shorten the arms and legs by the end of the week.

  Notes on an Appearance (2018)

• We need to shorten the meeting to fit everyone's schedule.

• The teacher decided to shorten the lesson to give students more time for questions.

Synonyms

C

to cut

vsto shorten

∞ 2.3

To remove parts or make something shorter, for example text

is the general act of making things less long beyond simple removal

R

to reduce

vsto shorten

∞ 1.6

To make something smaller in amount, size, or number

is specifically about making things less long in length, duration, or extent

D

to decrease

vsto shorten

325 2.0

To make something smaller in amount or size

is more about reducing length, time, amount, or extent specifically

S

to shrink

vsto shorten

181 2.8

Become less in amount or value

is narrower, focusing on reduced length or duration rather than value

C

to cut down

vsto shorten

65 2.7

To make something smaller in amount or number

is not limited to quantities and can also make things less long

C

to contract

vsto shorten

52 3.0

Become smaller or tighter, for example when a muscle shortens

is mainly about reducing length or duration rather than tightening or restricting

C

to condense

vsto shorten

21 4.2

Make something shorter by removing unimportant details

is broader, not limited to making content concise by detail removal

W

to whittle down

vsto shorten

10 5.1

To make a list or group smaller by removing items over time

is more general and can be sudden rather than slow removal

A

to abbreviate

vsto shorten

9 3.6

To make something shorter while keeping the important parts

is more general and not only about scope reduction

P

to pare down

vsto shorten

9 4.4

Make something smaller by removing parts you do not need

is more general and not necessarily gradual or limited to essentials

T

to truncate

vsto shorten

8 7.0

To shorten something by cutting off a part, often the end

is more general, not limited to removing end parts

S

to scale down

vsto shorten

8 4.0

To make something smaller in size or amount

is more general and not limited to proportional changes when making less long

D

to downsize

vsto shorten

8 4.1

Make something smaller, like a product or living space

is more general and applies beyond physical or organizational reductions

T

to trim down

vsto shorten

3 3.4

To make something smaller by cutting or removing parts

is more general, not only about cutting away parts

F

to foreshorten

vsto shorten

1 7.5

Make something shorter in time or length while keeping its main parts

is more general and not only about preserving essential parts

M

to minify

vsto shorten

1 8.4

To make something smaller so it uses less space or time

is about reducing length or time specifically, not only physical size

T

to telescope

vsto shorten

7.1

To make something shorter in time or content

is more general and not only about compression methods

A

to abridge

vsto shorten

6.7

Make a book, play, or speech shorter by removing parts while keeping the main idea

is broader and applies beyond written or spoken works

Antonyms

L

to lengthen

34 2.4

Make something longer in size, distance, or time

How Short

to truncate

8 7.0

to abridge

6.7

to shorten

45 2.3

to reduce

∞ 1.6

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology