abbreviating

verb

present participle of abbreviate
as in shortening
to make less in extent or duration had to abbreviate his vacation in France in order to travel to Oslo to receive the Nobel Prize

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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 abbreviating 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abbreviating
shortening
Verb
  • In other words, shortening the degree to save money risks shortening exactly the capability that will matter most in the job market that graduates are about to enter.
    — Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 31 July 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
Definition of shortening

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abbreviates
abbreviating
abbreviation
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Cite this Entry

“Abbreviating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abbreviating. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on abbreviating

Nglish: Translation of abbreviating for Spanish Speakers

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