shortening 1 of 2

noun

Definition of shorteningnext
as in abbreviation

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shortening

2 of 2

verb

present participle of shorten
as in reducing
to make less in extent or duration we decided to shorten the distance we had to walk home by cutting across the neighbor's lawn if Grandma has to go shopping today, you'll need to shorten your visit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shortening
Noun
The height of this strategy shift was the Sneak Attack by Roger (SABR), in which Federer crept forward to return opponent’s serves almost on the half volley, shortening points and taking away time from his opponent. — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Jump to Nutrition Facts Cream of tartar gives the cookies their signature snickerdoodle tang, while coconut oil mimics the flavor and texture of vegetable shortening, another traditional ingredient in snickerdoodles. — Emily Paster, Midwest Living, 15 Aug. 2026
Verb
Flock, which says its customers own the data that the cameras record, is also shortening the standard data retention window from 30 days to seven. — Sarah Rankin, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 This allows new chip layouts to be fabricated immediately after design completion, eliminating the need to manufacture masks for every design iteration and significantly shortening research and development cycles. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for shortening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortening
  1. abbreviation
  2. reducing
  3. curtailment
  4. abbreviating
  5. contracting
  6. truncating
  7. contraction
  8. curtailing
Noun
  • There will be controversy, grift and venality, supporters will get lost and lose themselves in a fog of legalese, accounting and abbreviations — VAR, SCR, LOL, FFS — there will be ugliness and misgivings and a lot of meh.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • For spacing purposes, Steele has removed the following words – left, at, by, went, had, in, the, to, for, and, then and got – and has crafted his own abbreviations.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of abbreviation
Verb
  • Handles up improves safety and hygiene during unloading, avoiding contact with eating surfaces and reducing injury risk.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Gormley says lifestyle changes can also help, like reducing screen time and taking more breaks from screens throughout the day.
    — Maria Godoy, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of reducing
Noun
  • Such environmental waivers are not arbitrary decisions but legal mechanisms, ordered by local authorities, to prevent grid instability, for example when loss of wind generation would be exacerbated by curtailment of thermal plants.
    — Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • This can reduce the strain on the electric grid and help prevent the need for involuntary power curtailment or power brownouts, Holran notes.
    — Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 21 June 2026
Definition of curtailment
Verb
  • But by the time Forrest reaches age 10, when dogs become eligible for Loyal’s pill, those defenses will more often misfire and fail to stop not just cancer but also other life-abbreviating ailments.
    — Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 2 May 2026
  • Edo also followed Prince William and Kate Middleton's lead with the sweet sign off for his latest social post by abbreviating the children's first names with their initials to send an online message.
    — Janine Henni, People.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Definition of abbreviating
Noun
  • Investigators accused him of obstruction of justice, unlawful contracting and, among other things, claiming $127,630 in expenses linked to fictitious missions and plane tickets for nearly a dozen trips.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The people who were in the area of the fire and the injured person all worked for Ford's contracting company Leadec Industrial Services, Elliott said.
    — Jamie L. LaReau, Freep.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of contracting
Verb
  • When the vintage Danish armchairs arrived, their legs were exposed, says Moser, and Shetty pointed out that on screen, this had the effect of truncating guests’ legs.
    — Genevieve Walker, Architectural Digest, 2 Aug. 2026
  • The Phillies are truncating his outings — his max pitch count has been 70 — to extend his season longer.
    — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Definition of truncating
Noun
  • The dip over the past few years was driven primarily by a major contraction of the offshore wind industry.
    — Eugenia Perozo, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026
  • With basic cable on the decline and HBO Max pulling away from kids and family original programming, Register’s domain has undergone contraction since Warner Bros Animation’s heyday.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of contraction
Verb
  • The miniseries is only three hours long, so Wallace had to heavily truncate King’s gargantuan tome, curtailing and expunging scenes and entire characters, as well as toning things down to fit broadcast rules.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The United States should expect Beijing to continue to wield its agriculture sector for geopolitical influence, whether through curtailing imports of food, restricting exports of select commodities, or both.
    — Caitlin Welsh, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of curtailing

Browse Nearby Words

shortened
shortening
shortenings
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Cite this Entry

“Shortening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortening. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on shortening

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shortening

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