Meaning & use
shortlisting
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Meanings
noununcountable
The process of reducing a large group of applicants or choices to a smaller group for closer consideration.
Grammar: Used without 'a' or a plural when talking about the activity: shortlisting takes place after the application deadline.
Patterns
- shortlisting of candidates
- shortlisting for a job
- the shortlisting process
- shortlisting takes place
Shortlisting begins as soon as the application window closes.
The committee spent two days shortlisting the candidates for interview.
She was responsible for the shortlisting of applications for the graduate scheme.
noununcountable
The activity of putting names or items on a shortlist; the result of this selection.
Grammar: Often appears after prepositions like 'after' or 'before': after shortlisting, the panel met to agree on interviews.
Patterns
- after shortlisting
- before shortlisting
- shortlisting stage
After shortlisting, only five people remained in the running.
The shortlisting stage is expected to finish by Friday.
verbtransitive
Present participle of 'shortlist': to choose someone or something for a small group of finalists.
Grammar: Needs an object: they are shortlisting three firms. Not used without an object.
Patterns
- shortlisting someone for something
- shortlisting something for something
They are shortlisting candidates for the second round of interviews.
The judges are shortlisting ten entries for the final prize.
Word forms
| base form | shortlist |
|---|---|
| third person singular | shortlists |
| past tense | shortlisted |
| past participle | shortlisted |
| -ing form | shortlisting |
Common combinations
- shortlisting process
- The shortlisting process is designed to be fair and transparent.
- shortlisting criteria
- The shortlisting criteria include relevant experience and qualifications.
- shortlisting stage
- At the shortlisting stage, the panel reads every application carefully.
- shortlisting committee
- The shortlisting committee meets next Tuesday to review the files.
- shortlisting of candidates
- The shortlisting of candidates usually takes about a week.
Synonyms and how they differ
- selection
- Selection is the broader act of choosing; shortlisting is only the step that narrows the field before the final choice.
- screening
- Screening often means checking whether people meet basic requirements, while shortlisting means choosing the best few to go forward.
- filtering
- Filtering is a more general word for removing unsuitable items; shortlisting is the specific workplace term for reducing applicants.
Word family
Commonly confused: shortlisting or short-listing?
shortlisting vs short-listing
The hyphenated spelling is sometimes seen in British English, but the single-word form 'shortlisting' is now standard.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'shortlisting' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Shortlisting' as a verb takes a direct object, so 'shortlisting the applications' is correct. Option 2 adds an unnecessary preposition, option 3 omits the auxiliary 'is', and option 4 uses the wrong preposition 'to'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “shortlisting”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.