Shorten/ˈʃɔːrtn/ Definition 1 of 3Pro Tip 1/3Physical Alteration Used when physically making an object shorter. The carpenter will shorten the table legs. Pro Tip 2/3Time Reducing Refers to decreasing the duration of an event or action. Can we shorten the meeting to 30 minutes? Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Negative Shortening something doesn't necessarily imply a negative outcome. Shorten your essay to make it more impactful.