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• short list
  short list

  noun

  a list of those people or items preferred or most likely to be chosen, as winnowed from a longer list of possibilities.
• short-list
  short-list

  verb (used with object)

  to put on a short list.

short list

¹ American  

Or shortlist

noun

1. a list of those people or items preferred or most likely to be chosen, as winnowed from a longer list of possibilities.

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short-list ² American  

[shawrt-list] / ˈʃɔrtˌlɪst /

Or shortlist

verb (used with object)

1. to put on a short list.

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short list British  

noun

1. a list of suitable applicants for a job, post, etc, from which the successful candidate will be selected

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verb

1. to put (someone) on a short list

Other Word Forms

• shortlistee
  noun
• shortlister
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of short list

First recorded in 1925–30

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

short list short-list

Stotler humbly acknowledged the venue’s good fortune to be included on the very short list of people and organizations invited to preview the record, a relatively recent development.

From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2026

Now, researchers have added another world to that short list.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026

Both are also on this year’s Ballon d’Or short list — at 30 names, the list really isn’t that short — alongside seven other players younger than 26.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

Aside from an unlucky draw, there is a short list of reasons a prisoner ends up here.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

My AIM account logged in automatically, and my short list of buddies were all offline.

From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi

“I feel like I’m on the short-list for going there, but it’s really a matter of waiting for the IndyCar schedule and seeing if I’m even available,” Johnson said.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 2, 2022

He sought to articulate and protect “freedom in all its dimensions,” which requires going beyond the relatively short-list of liberties the Constitution explicitly mentions.

From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2022

Trump also indicated that Allison Jones Rushing, a 38-year-old appellate judge from North Carolina, is also on the short-list.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 21, 2020

He was on the short-list for Democrat Hillary Clinton’s vice-presidential candidate in 2016, while he was likewise reported to be a contender for Republican John McCain’s vice presidential pick in 2008 as well.

From Salon ● Dec. 30, 2018

Notably absent from the short-list this year was French-language "Elle," which won the foreign language Golden Globe earlier in January.

From Reuters ● Jan. 24, 2017

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Related Words

• waiting list

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