Synonyms

abbreviated

American

[uh-bree-vee-ey-tid] / əˈbri viˌeɪ tɪd /

adjective

shortened; made briefer.

The rain led to an abbreviated picnic.
(of clothing) scanty; barely covering the body.

an abbreviated bathing suit.
constituting a shorter or smaller version of.

The large car was an abbreviated limousine.

Other Word Forms

unabbreviated adjective

Etymology

Origin of abbreviated

First recorded in 1545–55; abbreviate + -ed ²

Explanation

Something that's abbreviated is shortened or condensed. An abbreviated version of your favorite novel might be a quick read, but ultimately kind of disappointing. If you have to take an abbreviated vacation, you might need to leave Hawaii after a few days instead of staying for two weeks. On the other hand, if your boss at work gives you an abbreviated version of her usual lecture, you'll be able to go home a little earlier. The adjective abbreviated and the verb abbreviate both come from the noun abbreviation, with its Latin root, abbreviare, "make brief," from ad-, "to," and breviare, "shorten."

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Vocabulary lists containing abbreviated

Brief

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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.

He says he’s wary about his Somali clients getting a fair hearing, given the volume of cases that have been rescheduled and the abbreviated lead time for hearings.

From Slate • Mar. 27, 2026

In an abbreviated trading session Friday, stocks rallied to end the month with a five-session winning streak — their best Thanksgiving-week performance since 2008.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 30, 2025

This week is an abbreviated one for stock trading—markets are closed Thursday for the holiday, and both the Nasdaq and New York Stock Exchange close at 1 p.m. on Friday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 26, 2025

LIV Golf will abandon its abbreviated 54-hole format in favor of 72-hole tournaments in 2026, officials said Tuesday.

From Barron's • Nov. 4, 2025

Finally, when there are only twenty minutes left, he makes us number off one-two and we break up into teams for an abbreviated game, thanks to what he calls “unfortunate events.”

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023