verb

shorten

SHAWTN

verb

To make something shorter in length, duration, or extent.

"The tailor shortened the trousers by two inches."

"They shortened the meeting to just twenty minutes."

To become shorter.

"The days shorten quickly once autumn arrives."

How to Use Shorten

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo make (or become) shorter.

Common pairings

shorten the odds shorten a sentence shorten the process

shortened past tense, Shortens plural, shortens singular

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Can you complete this real example?

The tailor _____ the trousers by two inches.

From short + the verb-forming suffix -en, continuing an older Old English word meaning "to become short".

abbreviate abridge chop down chop off cut short compress condense curt curtail lop off make shorter pare

extend lengthen

condense compress squeeze curt contract compact extend widen

Morten

abbreviate abridge chop down chop off cut short compress condense curt curtail lop off make shorter pare