How do you use the word "short" in a sentence?

Here are real-life examples of using "short": A rabbit has long ears and a short tail. You are selling him short.

Short Meaning

/ʃɔːt/

Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Definition

adjHaving a small distance from one end or edge to another, either horizontally or vertically.

adjOf a person, living being, or object, having a comparatively small height.

Sentence Examples

A rabbit has long ears and a short tail.

You are selling him short.

The prosecuting attorney began with a short opening statement.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms:

dead poor light

Antonyms:

long tall

CEFR Practice Quiz

The meeting was surprisingly ____ and ended in ten minutes.

CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)

The meeting was kept intentionally ____ so that everyone could get back to their urgent project work.

Word Origin & History

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-der.? Proto-Germanic *skertaną Proto-Germanic *skurtaz Proto-West Germanic *skurt Old English sċort Middle English schort English short From Middle English schort, short, from Old English sċeort, sċort (“short”), from Proto-West Germanic *skurt, from Proto-Germanic *skurtaz (“short”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-. Doublet of shirt, skirt, and curt. Cognates Cognate with Scots short, schort (“short”), French court, Dutch kort, German kurz, Old High German scurz (“short”) (whence Middle High German schurz), Old Norse skorta (“to lack”) (whence Danish skorte), Albanian shkurt (“short, brief”), Latin curtus (“shortened, incomplete”) and Proto-Slavic *kortъkъ. See more at shirt.

Literary Quotations & Historical Citations

"Nhung Ngo had the shortest legs at Site-43. She was the shortest member of staff, two inches beneath the positively elfin Delfina Ibanez, and yet Lillian found her inexplicably difficult to shake. Power-walking down the halls didn't do the trick, as it always did when Wettle-dodging, since the diminutive headshrink kept disappearing into commissaries or service corridors or even other people's offices and emerging, smiling, in front of her." — 2022 September 22, HarryBlank, “Mind Over Matter”, in SCP Foundation, archived from the original on 23 May 2024:

"The results of this generalized speedup of the corporate metabolism are multiple: shorter product life cycles, more leasing and renting, more frequent buying and selling, more ephemeral consumption patterns, […]" — 1980, Alvin Toffler, The Third Wave, page 230:

"Last spring, the periodical cicadas emerged across eastern North America. Their vast numbers and short above-ground life spans inspired awe and irritation in humans—and made for good meals for birds and small mammals." — 2012 March-April, Anna Lena Phillips, “Sneaky Silk Moths”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 19 Feb 2013, page 172:

"Having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is associated with a shorter life expectancy and a greater risk of mental health issues, according to a new study of more than 30,000 people with the disorder in the United Kingdom." — 2025 January 23, Kristen Rogers, “People with ADHD have shorter life expectancy and higher risk of mental health issues, study finds”, in CNN:

"I chose to interpret the references to butter and sugar as indicating that a short pastry was required. (Later editions suggest a biscuit-like texture.)" — 2013, Heston Blumenthal, Historic Heston, →ISBN, page 122:

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