Definitions

shorten

[shawr-tn] / ˈʃɔr tn /

VERB

diminish, decrease

Synonyms

STRONGEST

abbreviate compress curtail cut cut back cut down lessen minimize reduce shrink slash trim

STRONG

abridge bob chop clip condense contract dock edit elide excerpt lop retrench snip

WEAK

blue pencil boil down cut to the bone make a long story short put in a nutshell

Antonyms

STRONGEST

develop enlarge expand extend grow increase lengthen raise strengthen stretch

WEAK

amplify elongate

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.

The strikes mean Russia has been forced to shorten convoys on supply routes as a "quick coping mechanism to reduce potential damage", Cristian Vlas at conflict monitoring group Acled told BBC Verify.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

Both have express tees that shorten them to less than 5,000 yards, and the family golf program allows children under 15 to play free.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

Eccentric exercise focuses on the phase when muscles lengthen rather than shorten.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2026

There was a machinery working to shorten his punishment.

From Salon • Apr. 21, 2026

I didn’t want you to have to shorten it or lighten it in any way.

From "Tears of a Tiger" by Sharon M. Draper

Vocabulary lists containing shorten

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shorten

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Vocabulary lists containing shorten

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