shor
ten
Third Person
shortens
Present Participle
shortening
Past Tense
shortened
Past Participle
shortened
1
to decrease the length of something
transitive
- The tailor shortened the trousers to fit the customer's height.
- He shortened the curtains to fit the new window.
- The project deadline was shortened unexpectedly.
- She shortened the dress to make it fit better.
- The movie was shortened for television to fit the time slot.
Antonyms:
2
to have a decrease in length of time or duration
- The days began to shorten as autumn approached.
- The lifespan of the flowers shortens as temperatures drop, causing them to wither more quickly.
- As the evening progresses, the wait times at restaurants usually shorten.
- In spring, the duration of darkness shortens, indicating the arrival of longer days and shorter nights.
- During winter, daylight hours noticeably shorten, leading to longer nights and shorter days.
Antonyms:
3
to edit a text by removing or modifying parts that are considered unnecessary
transitive
- The editor decided to shorten the article by removing sections that contained sensitive information.
- In order to comply with publishing guidelines, the author had to shorten the novel.
- The speechwriter was asked to shorten the politician's remarks by removing any potentially offensive remarks.
- The playwright was advised to shorten the play.
Synonyms:
4
to reduce the length of time or duration of something
transitive
- She shortens her commute by taking a more direct route.
- The team is currently shortening the meeting to focus on key points.
- The technology upgrade will shorten the time required for data processing.
- To save time, the coach shortened the duration of the practice session.
- The teacher shortened the assignment deadline to accommodate students' schedules.