shorten up

verb

To make something shorter in height, briefer in duration or more close together.

“You have to shorten this movie up.”

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Meanings

verbshorten up (third-person singular simple present shortens up, present participle shortening up, simple past and past participle shortened up)

present singular third person shortens up · participle present shortening up · participle past shortened up · past shortened up

  1. informalintransitivetransitiveTo make something shorter in height, briefer in duration or more close together.

    You have to shorten this movie up.

    2 more examples

    Muscles that don't get exercise will shorten up.

    You can shrug by shortening up your shoulders and express anger or disgust by shortening up the upper lip.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
short downshorten down
Cite this entry
APA

shorten up. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shorten%20up

MLA

“shorten up.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shorten%20up. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shorten up,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shorten%20up.

Source: shorten up on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.