shorten

/ʃˈɔɹtən/ · 2 syllables

Meaning

verb

1. make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration
   “He shortened his trip due to illness”
2. reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
   “The manuscript must be shortened”
3. make short or shorter
   “shorten the skirt”
4. become short or shorter
   “In winter, the days shorten”
5. edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
   “bowdlerize a novel”

Synonyms for shorten

• abridge
• foreshorten
• abbreviate
• cut
• contract
• reduce
• bowdlerize
• bowdlerise
• expurgate
• castrate

Antonyms of shorten

• lengthen

Words that rhyme with shorten

• borten
• borton
• dorton
• forton
• gorton
• horten
• horton
• korten
• lorton
• mcnorton
• morten
• norton
• orten
• orton
• thorton
• throgmorton
• warton
• whorton