Synonyms of short

short 1 of 4

adjective

ˈshȯrt 

1

as in little

having relatively little height

a lot of boys are shorter than the girls in middle school, but they quickly catch up by high school

Synonyms & Similar Words

• little
• small
• low
• tiny
• slight
• low-lying
• low-slung
• compact
• dwarf
• sawed-off
• flat
• mini
• petite
• diminutive
• dwarfish
• miniature
• minute
• pocket
• smallish
• stubby
• pocket-size
• wee
• pocket-sized
• stumpy
• puny
• dinky
• bitty
• squat
• squatty
• teeny
• dumpy
• half-pint
• stunted
• undersized
• undersize
• pygmy
• minimized
• scrubby
• bantam
• pint-sized
• pint-size
• teeny-weeny

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• tall
• high
• lofty
• towering
• lifted
• elevated
• large
• uplifted
• raised
• statuesque
• lanky
• high-rise
• big
• voluminous
• altitudinous
• sizeable
• sizable
• rangy
• upswept
• bulky
• hefty
• oversized
• oversize
• outsized
• largish
• outsize
• gangling
• gangly
• hulking

2

as in brief

not lasting for a considerable time

fortunately for those of us in the hot sun, the graduation speech was short and to the point

Synonyms & Similar Words

• brief
• little
• concise
• sudden
• fast
• abbreviated
• shortish
• condensed
• shortened
• curtailed
• abridged
• summary
• fleeting
• compact
• transient
• momentary
• succinct
• pithy
• abrupt
• transitory
• ephemeral
• syncopated
• short-lived
• short-term
• terse
• epigrammatic
• short-range
• cut-back
• laconic
• crisp
• compendious
• impermanent

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• long
• lengthy
• great
• extended
• far
• persistent
• endless
• prolonged
• interminable
• everlasting
• protracted
• unending
• permanent
• long-drawn-out
• longish
• long-drawn
• long-lived
• overlong
• enlarged
• long-term
• long-range
• expanded
• supplemented

3

as in lacking

not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need

regrettably, the art supplies are short this year, so you'll have to share

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lacking
• low
• scarce
• insufficient
• inadequate
• shy
• wanting
• deficient
• sparse
• unacceptable
• unsatisfactory
• slender
• small
• meager
• mere
• scant
• lean
• spare
• skimpy
• scanty
• minimum
• slim
• substandard
• poor
• light
• meagre
• stingy
• bare
• slight
• hand-to-mouth
• skimp
• niggardly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sufficient
• adequate
• enough
• ample
• generous
• abundant
• copious
• plentiful
• bountiful
• liberal
• plenteous
• bounteous
• enlarged
• satisfactory
• supplemented
• large
• expanded
• tolerable
• rich
• substantial
• plenitudinous
• considerable
• big
• overflowing
• lavish
• super
• sizeable
• sizable
• hefty
• oversized
• luxuriant
• jumbo
• teeming
• oversize
• abounding
• largish
• king-sized
• king-size

4

as in brittle

having a texture that readily breaks into little pieces under pressure

short pastry

Synonyms & Similar Words

• brittle
• crisp
• fragile
• friable
• crispy
• flaky
• crumbly
• delicate
• crisped
• embrittled
• flakey
• brickle
• crunchy
• crusty
• crackly
• crispened
• breakable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• flexible
• elastic
• resilient
• strong
• tough
• pliable
• sturdy
• pliant

5

as in blunt

being or characterized by direct, brief, and potentially rude speech or manner

I didn't mean to be so short with you by responding to your request with a snippy "I'm busy!"

Synonyms & Similar Words

• blunt
• abrupt
• curt
• gruff
• outspoken
• brusque
• bluff
• unceremonious
• downright
• crusty
• rude
• snippy
• straightforward
• honest
• brief
• rough
• crass
• plain
• short-spoken
• brusk
• direct
• candid
• frank
• vulgar
• open
• earnest
• straight-out
• terse
• forthright
• snappish
• reserved
• coarse
• point-blank
• insensitive
• laconic
• artless
• disrespectful
• sincere
• tactless
• discourteous
• plainspoken
• impertinent
• impolite
• inconsiderate
• undiplomatic
• crude
• reticent
• foursquare
• free-spoken
• closemouthed
• low
• uncouth
• tight-lipped

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• circuitous
• smooth
• diplomatic
• civil
• polite
• gracious
• courteous
• tactful
• politic
• considerate
• suave
• talkative
• voluble
• loquacious
• prolix
• verbose
• mealymouthed
• polished
• gallant
• long-winded
• refined
• cultivated
• genteel
• courtly

short

2 of 4

adverb

as in abruptly

with great suddenness

the bicyclist ahead of me unexpectedly pulled up short and I unavoidably plowed into him

Synonyms & Similar Words

• abruptly
• suddenly
• fast
• quickly
• on a sudden
• all of a sudden
• unexpectedly
• rapidly
• quick
• surprisingly
• immediately
• promptly
• swift
• right away
• right off
• swiftly
• instantly
• right
• straightaway
• instantaneously
• speedily
• readily
• incontinently
• directly
• hastily
• recklessly
• rashly
• impulsively
• full tilt
• impetuously
• pronto
• posthaste
• snappily

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slowly
• gradually
• hesitantly

short

3 of 4

verb

as in to squeeze

to rob by the use of trickery or threats

charged that the used-car dealer had been shorting customers for years

Synonyms & Similar Words

• squeeze
• cheat
• pluck
• hustle
• sting
• stick
• beat
• screw
• stiff
• do
• shake down
• bleed
• sucker
• trick
• rip off
• shortchange
• deceive
• skin
• gaff
• con
• fiddle
• clip
• fleece
• exploit
• ream
• swindle
• victimize
• hose
• take for a ride
• defraud
• chisel
• chouse
• flimflam
• mulct
• rook
• take to the cleaners
• skunk
• thimblerig
• diddle
• euchre
• nobble
• fool
• bilk
• cozen
• do in
• wrench
• betray
• sell a bill of goods to
• extort
• nick
• soak
• gouge
• wring
• milk
• wrest
• rope (in)
• overcharge
• bitch
• dupe
• gull
• double-cross
• bamboozle
• fast-talk

short

4 of 4

noun

as in feature

Synonyms & Similar Words

• feature
• documentary
• short subject
• animated cartoon
• cartoon
• film
• motion picture
• movie
• moving picture
• flick
• docudrama
• featurette
• picture
• talkie
• flicker
• silent
• B picture
• B movie
• cofeature

Examples of short in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

For example, in the first quarter of 2024, Christina Aguilera, Emma Stone, and Jennifer Lopez all debuted a variation on the short style, all of which had a similar sleek ‘90s vibe like Kardashian’s cut. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 18 Oct. 2024

Kendrick also shared The Barbershop short film starring Doechii, which was created in collaboration between his pgLang agency and Cash App. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 18 Oct. 2024

Adverb

Ohio State got the ball back with just over a minute left but came up short after quarterback Will Howard tucked the ball and ran with it but didn’t get down in time to call a timeout as the clock expired. —Issy Ronald and Jacob Lev, CNN, 13 Oct. 2024

Directed by Giorgio Ghiotto, the documentary short grew prominence after winning the Student Academy Award and gaining eligibility as an Oscar hopeful for Best Documentary Short. —Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2024

Verb

Rounding out the offerings will be a special FEAR IN FOCUS: SPAIN shorts block, spotlighting an exciting new wave of Spanish horror. —Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2024

The gauges shorted out, needless popping up and down. —Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 11 Sep. 2024

Noun

North sported a blue and gray sweater vest on top of a white button-down top, extra-long camouflage shorts and a large fur hat. —Emma Aerin Becker, People.com, 11 Oct. 2024

She’s done promotion for her latest album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, in long, baggy shorts and wire-rimmed glasses, and has hit the stage in sports jerseys and knee-pads. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2024

Phrases Containing short

• fall short
• in short
• in short order
• sell short
• short story
• the long and short
• the long and the short