shorthand
noun
short·hand
ˈshȯrt-ˌhand 
1
: a method of writing rapidly by substituting characters, abbreviations, or symbols for letters, sounds, words, or phrases : stenography
2
: something likened to shorthand especially in providing rapid or abbreviated communication or representation
stereotype and cliché serve a purpose as a form of shorthand—
Stephanie Ericsson
Stephanie Ericssonheadline shorthand
shorthand
adjective
Examples of shorthand in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The franchise refresh picks up, well, 28 years after the terrifying Rage virus broke out across the globe (pandemics now being shorthand for worldwide audiences).
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 1 Apr. 2025
Armando Iannucci’s Veep, which ran through most of Trump’s first term, became frequent shorthand for his regime’s dysfunction, its end credits and closing theme spliced into news footage of the facepalm of the week.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2025
Tate’s name is often used as a shorthand for how popular misogynistic views have become in online spaces, but while he’s mentioned briefly in the show, Adolescence creator Jack Thorne didn’t want to single him out.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2025
Meanwhile, text shorthand continues to overrun our vernacular.
—Scott Nover, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shorthand
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Matt Donnelly, Variety, 1 Apr. 2025
Armando Iannucci’s Veep, which ran through most of Trump’s first term, became frequent shorthand for his regime’s dysfunction, its end credits and closing theme spliced into news footage of the facepalm of the week.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2025
Tate’s name is often used as a shorthand for how popular misogynistic views have become in online spaces, but while he’s mentioned briefly in the show, Adolescence creator Jack Thorne didn’t want to single him out.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2025
Meanwhile, text shorthand continues to overrun our vernacular.
—Scott Nover, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shorthand
Cite this Entry
“Shorthand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shorthand. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shorthand
noun
short·hand
ˈshȯrt-ˌhand
1
: a method of rapid writing by using symbols for sounds, words, or phrases
2
: a short or quick way of showing or saying something
shorthand
adjective
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