shorten

lessen

Reduce in degree

• diminishTo make smaller
• shrinkDecrease in size
• contractEnforceable written agreement
• downsizeReduce scale or staff

curtail · decrease · minimize · cut back · scale down · abbreviate · narrow · constrict

reduce

Make smaller in degree

• decreaseBecome or make smaller
• lessenReduce in degree
• minimizeReduce to smallest extent
• curtailTo cut short

shrink · contract · downsize · scale · cutback · slim · whittle · taper

trim

Remove unwanted edges

• reviseAlter to improve
• cutSeverance or reduction
• abridgeShorten by omission
• pareRemove outer layer

prune · snip · clip · shave · whittle · tighten · streamline · elide

distill

Purify through vaporization

• boil downReduce to essentials
• reduceMake smaller in degree
• concentrateReduced, potent form
• summarizeState main points briefly

abridge · capsulize · synopsize · digest · précis · epitomize · consolidate · crystallize

clip

Cut or attach

• pruneDesiccated stone fruit
• snipSmall quick cut
• cropCultivated agricultural plants
• shaveCut hair close

shear · dock · lop · pare · cut · scissors · hedge · hair

summarize

State main points briefly

• synopsisCondensed version of content
• abstractCondensed version of text
• digestMetabolize or summarize
• précisConcise summary of text

outline · recap · condense · edit · excerpt · extract · version · reader

amputate

Surgically remove a limb

• severCut apart completely
• cropCultivated agricultural plants
• dockMooring structure at water's edge
• lopCut away branches

shear · slice · bob · chop off · cut off · hem · take up · nip

acronym

Word made from initials

• initialismSpelled-out letter shortening
• contractionReduction in size
• truncationCutting something shorter
• clippingPiece cut out

monogram · symbol · notation

zip

Toothed sliding fastener

• gzipUnix compression program
• archiveStored historical records
• tarFile bundling utility
• deflateRelease air from

lossless · lossy · encode · decode · algorithm · file · data · storage