Meaning & use
abridge
To shorten a book, text, or speech by removing detail while keeping its main content.
See it in a sentence
The publisher abridged the novel for younger readers, cutting several subplots.
Editors abridged his three-hour speech into a five-minute radio segment.
A note on using this word
Abridge applies to longer written or spoken works; compare 'abbreviate,' which typically shortens individual words or phrases.
Words with a similar meaning
condenseshorten
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
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