Meaning & use

abridging

verb·Academic

Shortening a piece of writing or speech by removing less essential parts while keeping its main content.

See it in a sentence

The editor spent weeks abridging the manuscript for a shorter paperback edition.

Abridging the contract made it easier for clients to read quickly.

A note on using this word

From 'abridge'; an 'abridged' book keeps the main story but cuts length, unlike a full 'unabridged' edition.

Words with a similar meaning

condensingshortening

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

expanding

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