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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

Etymology

Origin of short list

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

short list short-list

Schmid’s reference to inflation-fighting policy actions adds him to a short list of Fed officials who have hinted that an interest-rate increase could be called for if inflation remains stubborn or rises.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026

On the men's side, former West Ham star Dimitri Payet and Newcastle winger Laurent Robert are two that fans may remember - but those that make it all the way form a short list.

From BBC ● Mar. 8, 2026

Vinyl Room joins a short list of places where audiophiles can go to listen to music on hi-fi equipment, which many argue is the best way to experience it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026

To cook the same thing repeatedly — to rely on a short list of meals that work — can begin to feel like a failure of imagination, or worse, a failure of love.

From Salon ● Jan. 31, 2026

It was a short list, but still I managed to mispronounce IBM and assign the wrong gender to both the floor waxer and the typewriter.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

“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 tells reporters that his short-list for the critical post is made up of Robert O’Brien, Ric Waddell, Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty, Fred Fleitz and Keith Kellogg.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 17, 2019

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

Related Words

• waiting list