unabridged
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
Etymology
Origin of unabridged
Explanation
When a book is unabridged it's the whole thing, with nothing cut out. If you're seeking a definition for a very unusual word, you may need to look in an unabridged dictionary. To "abridge" something is to shorten it, so an unabridged edition has not been shortened. I can see that the short version of Shakespeare's works is easier to carry around, but if you want to enjoy every line, read the unabridged version. Unabridged is almost always used to describe books, but you can use it for spoken tales as well. You might not be so excited to hear the unabridged account of your sister's day at the mall.
Vocabulary lists containing unabridged
Becoming Naomi León
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What If It's Us
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Cat's Cradle
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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.
That happens with movies too, of course, but with a film you typically get a condensed version, while with unabridged audiobooks you don’t miss a word of the original writing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025
Voters would be winners by hearing unabridged arguments from both sides.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 21, 2023
We've got the full guide to how the day unfolds here but read on for the full, unabridged details of the ceremony as listed in the official order of service.
From BBC • Jul. 4, 2023
Recently, publisher Simon & Schuster released an unabridged audiobook of the title, along with a series of Peale’s other volumes of encouragement.
From Washington Times • Oct. 6, 2022
I’d give Ethan and Jessie the full, unabridged post office story, and we’d probably make a football-style Operation Hudson game plan in my notes app.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
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.
