short list

noun

: a limited list of important items or individuals
especially : a list of candidates for final consideration (as for a position or a prize)
short-list transitive verb

Examples of short list in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Make a short list of the pages where your information appears. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Jan. 2026 This classic recipe relies on a short list of ingredients and demands a high-quality dark chocolate to deliver its rich, deep flavor. Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 23 Dec. 2025 Internal free agents This is a short list. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 20 Dec. 2025 This sort of strong-arming — or, from Vanessa’s point of view, safeguarding — clearly hasn’t gone over well in Hollywood, where Vanessa has been climbing higher and higher on many filmmakers’ life-is-too-short list. Peter Kiefer, HollywoodReporter, 19 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for short list

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of short list was in 1927

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Short list.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/short%20list. Accessed 5 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!