shorten

[shawr-tn]

verb (used with object)

1. to make short or shorter.

   Synonyms: restrict, limit, lessen, condense

2. to reduce, decrease, take in, etc..

   to shorten sail.

3. to make (pastry, bread, etc.) short, as with butter or other fat.

4. Sports.,  choke.

verb (used without object)

1. to become short or shorter.

   Synonyms: lessen, contract

2. (of odds) to decrease.

shorten

/ ˈʃɔːtən /

verb

1. to make or become short or shorter

2. (tr) nautical to reduce the area of (sail)

3. (tr) to make (pastry, bread, etc) short, by adding butter or another fat

4. gambling to cause (the odds) to lessen or (of odds) to become less

Other Word Forms

• shortener noun
• overshorten verb
• preshorten verb (used with object)
• reshorten verb
• undershorten verb (used with object)
• unshorten adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of shorten¹

First recorded in 1505–15; short + -en ¹

Synonym Study

Shorten, abbreviate, abridge, curtail mean to make shorter or briefer. Shorten is a general word meaning to make less in extent or duration: to shorten a dress, a prisoner's sentence. The other three terms suggest methods of shortening. To abbreviate is to make shorter by omission or contraction: to abbreviate a word. To abridge is to reduce in length or size by condensing, summarizing, and the like: to abridge a document. Curtail suggests deprivation and lack of completeness because of omitting some part: to curtail an explanation.

Example Sentences

Stocks blessed investors with a rebound during the shortened Thanksgiving week of trading.

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Even before the outage, analysts expected thin trading on Friday, with the U.S. session shortened following the Thanksgiving holiday.

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U.S. markets reopen for a shortened session after the Thanksgiving holiday.

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A shortened day of trading for U.S. markets was off to an auspicious start on Friday after exchange operator CME Group was forced to halt futures trading for several markets.

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U.S. stock and bond markets were closed but will reopen for a shortened trading day on Friday.

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Related Words

• abbreviate 
• compress 
• curtail 
• cut 
• cut back 
• cut down 
• lessen 
• minimize 
• reduce 
• shrink 
• slash 
• trim