abridge
verb
transitive verb
Thomas Hardy
Synonyms
- abbreviate
- curtail
- cut back
- dock
- elide
- shorten
- syncopate
- truncate
Example Sentences
Anchorage Daily News, 5 Aug. 2022 One way to measure these mores and practices is to count state laws: How many states recognize a putative right and how many try to abridge it? Akhil Reed Amar, WSJ, 13 May 2022 The Ninth Circuit has interpreted the case in a way that would allow states to abridge a business’s right to exclude people from its property. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 19 Mar. 2021 Indeed, at the most significant moments in African-American history, the Court reflected the most reactionary elements of the culture in its efforts to abridge, degrade, or simply eliminate the rights of African-Americans. Keeanga-yamahtta Taylor, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2020 A few hours later, the trio would depart for the airport to board a Sunday night flight back to Waters’ native Portland, his season abridged by the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. Hillel Kuttler, oregonlive, 30 Mar. 2020 Some of Avila’s answers have been abridged for length. Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press, 8 Mar. 2020 But the First Amendment prohibits the government, not private companies, from abridging people's free speech rights. Timothy B. Lee, Ars Technica, 5 Mar. 2020 The 19th amendment was a transformative constitutional amendment that guaranteed that the right of citizens to vote would not be denied or abridged by the government because of a person’s gender. Sam Boyer, cleveland, 14 Feb. 2020 See More Word History
Middle English abreggen, abriggen "to reduce, diminish, shorten," borrowed from Anglo-French abreger, going back to Late Latin abbreviāre, from Latin ad- ad- + breviāre "to shorten, abridge," verbal derivative of brevis "short" — more at brief entry 1
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4
Kids Definition
abridge
verb
Legal Definition
abridge
transitive verb
U.S. Constitution amend. XIVabridge
verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- shorten
- curtail
- truncate
- abbreviate
- elide
- reduce
- cut back
- dock
- summarize
- trim
- modify
- syncopate
- compress
- recapitulate
- decrease
- constrict
- encapsulate
- digest
- pare
- abstract
- diminish
- sum up
- epitomize
- retrench
- lessen
- cut down
- cut
- prune
- contract
- abate
- shrink
- moderate
- taper
- slash
- downsize
- lower
- dwindle
- deflate
- de-escalate
- subtract (from)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- extend
- prolong
- lengthen
- expand
- elongate
- enlarge
- protract
- supplement
- augment
- increase
- add
- maximize
- amplify
- heighten
- dilate
- raise
- escalate
- boost
- aggrandize
- inflate
- distend
- swell
- blow up
- balloon
- pump up
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of abridge are abbreviate, curtail, retrench, and shorten. While all these words mean "to reduce in extent," abridge implies a reduction in compass or scope with retention of essential elements and a relative completeness in the result.
The words abbreviate and abridge can be used in similar contexts, but abbreviate implies a making shorter usually by omitting some part.
The meanings of curtail and abridge largely overlap; however, curtail adds an implication of cutting that in some way deprives of completeness or adequacy.
While in some cases nearly identical to abridge, retrench suggests a reduction in extent or costs of something felt to be excessive.
The words shorten and abridge are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, shorten implies reduction in length or duration.