condense
Americanverb (used with object)
-
condenses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
condensed,
past participle, past
-
condensing
present participle
-
to make more dense or compact; reduce the volume or extent of; concentrate.
- Synonyms:
- consolidate, compress
- Antonyms:
- expand
-
to reduce to a shorter form; abridge.
Condense your answer into a few words.
- Synonyms:
- abbreviate, abstract, epitomize, digest
-
to reduce to another and denser form, as a gas or vapor to a liquid or solid state.
verb (used without object)
-
condenses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
condensed,
past participle, past
-
condensing
present participle
-
to become denser or more compact or concentrated.
-
to reduce a book, speech, statement, or the like, to a shorter form.
-
to become liquid or solid, as a gas or vapor.
The steam condensed into droplets.
verb
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(tr) to increase the density of; compress
-
to reduce or be reduced in volume or size; make or become more compact
-
to change or cause to change from a gaseous to a liquid or solid state
-
chem to undergo or cause to undergo condensation
Synonym Usage
See contract.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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condensabilitynoun
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overcondenseverb
-
precondenseverb
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recondenseverb
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condensableadjective
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uncondensingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
condensesimple
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condensessimple
-
have condensedperfect
-
has condensedperfect
-
am condensingprogressive
-
are condensingprogressive
-
is condensingprogressive
-
have been condensingperfect progressive
-
has been condensingperfect progressive
Past
-
condensedsimple
-
had condensedperfect
-
was condensingprogressive
-
were condensingprogressive
-
had been condensingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of condense
First recorded in 1475–85; from Middle French condenser, from Latin condēnsāre, from con- con- + dēnsāre “to thicken,” verb derivative of dēnsus dense
Explanation
When you condense something, you cut it down and trim it. You may love every word of your 1000-page novel, but you'll have to condense the plot into a 2-page summary for your editor. When you condense something, you make it smaller and more compact. If you condense your wardrobe, you get rid things and keep only what you wear most. When a gas or vapor turns to liquid, it condenses. When you take a long, hot shower, the steam condenses in your bathroom, your mirror clouds up, and everything gets damp. Condense comes from Latin con-, “completely” and densus, “thick, dense."
Vocabulary lists containing condense
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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.
See Examples For:
As it loses energy, it can condense into long, narrow structures known as filaments.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026
The ice-cream maker will eventually need to condense and centralize all of the AI agents created inside the company, though it’s aiming not to disrupt employee creativity in the process, Friedlander said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
Teams would think, if you can condense play in their areas, you can control them - and if it goes over to another part of the pitch, you can cope with it.
From BBC ● Feb. 22, 2026
"It can't create rain where there is no moisture in the air, but it just 'forces' some of the water to condense in one location rather than another," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2025
The form of the angel seemed to condense and swirl into a little vortex in midair, and then a blackbird swooped down onto the grass at Will’s feet.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
Gilbert said they have been harvesting at 03:00 BST to bring the moisture up, as at that time of day it's cooler and water condenses.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
As the Sun heats the ground, the water vapour suddenly condenses.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
The libretto, by the composer and Manuelle Mureddu, efficiently condenses the novel using a chorus as both narrator and the village community.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
They found that this process occurs through phase separation, a phenomenon similar to oil droplets forming in water, and they believe it reflects how chromatin condenses inside living cells.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 8, 2025
Every thought I have condenses into that heartbeat, moving at the same rhythm.
From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
He made sure cameras followed him to his father’s favorite Rio bakery Saturday where he tucked into his father’s signature sweet treat of bread slathered with condensed milk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
The following excerpt of their conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
More vapor then condensed onto those droplets, reducing the estimated supersaturation.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026
The tale of Henry and Carlos is outlined in condensed lyrical strokes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
There were vendors selling shaved ices topped with condensed milk and creams.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
"What this study suggests is that we may be able to offer those same patients a path to meaningful relief in less than one week by condensing 25 TMS treatments over just five days."
From Science Daily ● Feb. 25, 2026
The Ombudsman also found the commission "limited the possibility of its departments to provide meaningful input" by condensing internal consultations into "less than 24 hours over a weekend".
From Barron's ● Nov. 27, 2025
A little more condensing would have been welcome.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2025
Options for a restart could include condensing the remaining matches to a limited number of venues and playing more double-headers to reduce the time needed.
From BBC ● May 9, 2025
The train is full of rain-soaked people, steam rising off their clothes and condensing on the windows.
From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
