cut short

Idioms  

1. Abbreviate, stop abruptly, as in The thunderstorm cut short our picnic, or She cut her short, saying she'd already heard the story of their breakup. Shakespeare used this term to mean “put a sudden end to someone's life”: “Rather than bloody war shall cut them short” (2 Henry VI, 4:4), a less common usage today. The broader usage dates from the mid-1600s.

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Example Sentences

Tuchel's playing career was cut short by injury.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

At the time, the surge proved temporary, ultimately cut short by rising inflation and interest rates.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

Her teeth had fallen out when she returned and, after having her hair shaved or cut short after deportation, she never grew her hair out again.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

A devoted uncle came from Chicago to visit family in Los Angeles and see the boys in blue play the Cubs last month, but his trip was cut short by a tragic accident.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

Here a general explosion of laughter cut short the ‘history of salads’, to the great surprise of the learned gentleman.

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

Related Words

• abort
• break off
• curtail
• halt
• hinder
• interrupt
• postpone
• quit
• shorten
• terminate