shortened; shortening
ˈshȯrt-niŋ 
ˈshȯr-tᵊn-iŋ
1
a
: to reduce the length or duration of
b
: to cause to seem short
2
a
: to reduce in power or efficiency
Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?—
Isaiah 50:2 (Revised Standard Version)
Isaiah 50:2 (Revised Standard Version)
b
obsolete
: to deprive of effect
3
: to add fat to (something, such as pastry dough) in order to make tender and flaky
: to become short or shorter
Examples of shorten in a Sentence
shorten a pair of pants
He had to shorten the speech.
“Franklin D. Roosevelt” is often shortened to “FDR.”
Recent Examples on the Web
The ban, initially posted as lasting 10 days, was then shortened to a matter of hours.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
Roughly 50 companies in the S & P 500 are scheduled to report earnings in the upcoming holiday shortened week.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
Out of the 245 cities, the Alaskan cities of Juneau and Anchorage had winters that shortened the most with 62 and 49 days, respectively.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 12 Feb. 2026
In the United States, the average ski season shortened by five to seven days between 2000 and 2019, and projections suggest that this loss could double or even triple by 2050 as global temperatures continue to rise.
—Ukaleq Slettemark, Time, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shorten
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Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
Roughly 50 companies in the S & P 500 are scheduled to report earnings in the upcoming holiday shortened week.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
Out of the 245 cities, the Alaskan cities of Juneau and Anchorage had winters that shortened the most with 62 and 49 days, respectively.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 12 Feb. 2026
In the United States, the average ski season shortened by five to seven days between 2000 and 2019, and projections suggest that this loss could double or even triple by 2050 as global temperatures continue to rise.
—Ukaleq Slettemark, Time, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shorten
Cite this Entry
“Shorten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shorten. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shorten
verb
short·en
ˈshȯrt-ᵊn
shortened; shortening
ˈshȯrt-niŋ
-ᵊn-iŋ
1
: to make or become short or shorter
2
: to add shortening to (as pastry dough)
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