Electricity.
to make (an appliance, switch, etc.) inoperable by establishing a short circuit in.
to carry (a current) as a short circuit.
to bypass, impede, hinder, or frustrate.
Bad weather short-circuited my vacation plans.
to develop or cause to develop a short circuit
(tr) to bypass (a procedure, regulation, etc)
(tr) to hinder or frustrate (plans, etc)
First recorded in 1875–80
First recorded in 1870–75
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These thread like growths, known as filaments, would keep extending until they created a short circuit and destroyed the pixel.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 4, 2026
Local broadcaster NDTV, citing unnamed police officials, said that a short circuit may have sparked the fire.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2025
“Now they want to short circuit the whole process,” McGoldrick added.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2025
International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons ran a short circuit of the athletics track following the ignition earlier.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2024
Something had gone wrong in the electrical system of the command module, resulting in a short circuit.
From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins
Pupils attempt to short-circuit the devices by breaking off charging pins or jamming metal items into power ports, causing them to overheat and, in some cases, going on fire.
From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2026
If Seth wanted a fast decision—to short-circuit the deliberative process through which the company made most decisions—we wanted to hear the cast read the script.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026
"Frost, low cloud, fog. In such weather, it is difficult for a drone to fly. It can short-circuit, it can break in the air," said Nazariy, one of the brigade's squad commanders.
From Barron's ● Feb. 16, 2026
In recent years, those officials noted, both Democratic and Republican administrations have tried at times to short-circuit competition for big cases among law enforcement agencies and judicial districts.
From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2025
And maybe with Tamika’s help, I wouldn’t short-circuit everything.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
Eventually, they reach the bottom electrode, creating a permanent connection that short-circuits the device and leaves it stuck in the on state.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 7, 2026
The sales process likely short-circuits an alternative WBD plan next year to spin off its old-style TV assets, hoping to make its remaining assets more attractive to potential buyers like Apple, Amazon and Netflix.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2025
This can be triggered by events from short-circuits to physical damage and manufacturing defects, and which allows heat-producing chemical reactions to start within the battery.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2025
Beyond that, the decision short-circuits the careful development of the law of PLCAA.
From Slate ● Jun. 6, 2025
The majority of the fires were of secondary origin starting from the usual electrical short-circuits, broken gas lines, overturned stoves, open fires, charcoal braziers, lamps, etc., following collapse or serious damage from the direct blast.
From The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. Manhattan District
“The energy price shock has short-circuited the monetary easing cycle,” said analysts Maybank.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
That process normally requires an investigation, but can be short-circuited where there are serious harms, risks to children, and histories of non-compliance.
From BBC ● Jan. 9, 2026
But I was like this person who was short-circuited and I didn’t know how to fix myself.”
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 8, 2026
"Maybe it's the failure of Oslo that gave rise to the rather unconventional approach that Trump has taken, where he has short-circuited any sort of process and simply pressured and cajoled," Yacoubian said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2025
It was like my brain short-circuited and I forgot who I was talking to, that I was still mad at Trevor.
From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks
Apple shares had their worst day in more than a year Thursday after it announced big price increases, short-circuiting a tech rally sparked by memory maker Micron’s solid results.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
She’s the film’s sole draw, but Thatcher's expertise can’t save it from short-circuiting in the end.
From Salon ● Jan. 31, 2025
Don’t put it in a freezer – this might stop your device from short-circuiting but the problem will be back once you try to thaw it.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 29, 2024
Marsha Hunt appeared in more than 50 films before being accused of communist sympathies, short-circuiting her career.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2024
That odd, crackling noise you hear is the sound of a sentence short-circuiting!
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
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.
