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 fast-entry rule would shorten the time it takes for a newly public company to make the Nasdaq-100 roster to less than a month.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

If untreated, acromegaly can lead to serious health problems and shorten life expectancy by about 10 years.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2026

However, weather conditions can shorten the process to four days or prolong it for as long as a month, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

"It could force families to shorten trips, skip travel altogether or head overseas, spending their money elsewhere," they say.

From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026

“We can fix that,” said Laurence, and he looped the fabric into a knot behind Bat’s neck to shorten the sling.

From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold

shorten

Example Sentences

Related Words