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Showing results for shorten.
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.

Standard treatment focuses on rehydration, while antibiotics can shorten the illness but do not eliminate the toxins left behind.

From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026

Depending on how long the conflict lasts, however, some facilities could elect to shorten or postpone their usual May and June maintenance schedules, he said.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 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

‘For tonight we go to the woods on the hills above Woodhall. It is some miles, but you shall have rest at the end of it, and it will shorten your journey tomorrow.’

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Vocabulary lists containing shorten

Banned Book Week Words

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