Synonyms

short-cut

American

[shawrt-kuht] / ˈʃɔrtˌkʌt /

verb (used with object)

short-cut, short-cutting

to cause to be shortened by the use of a shortcut.

verb (used without object)

short-cut, short-cutting

to use or take a shortcut.

short cut British

noun

a route that is shorter than the usual one
a means of saving time or effort

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

(intr) to use a short cut

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

short-cutter noun

Etymology

Origin of short-cut

First recorded in 1560–70

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.

Stuart Duff, a UK business psychologist who describes his role as “working with people to understand how they behave in a workplace”, thinks that AI can offer a valid short-cut for even the best engineer.

From BBC • Aug. 7, 2024

Let’s try the Expedia plug-in as a short-cut.

From New York Times • Jun. 16, 2023

I wouldn't recommend serving with a short-cut pasta, though.

From Salon • Nov. 27, 2022

“Let’s see if we can short-cut that time as much as possible and make Aston Martin successful next season.”

From Seattle Times • Aug. 25, 2022

I’d referred, just in passing, to the fact that at Hailsham, the short-cut down to the pond through the rhubarb patch was out of bounds.

From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro

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