Short: meaning, definition, and synonyms

Short is a very common English word with several related meanings. It can describe something that is not long, does not last long, is too low or too little, or is brief in speech or behavior. It also has a few specialized meanings in finance, baseball, electricity, and grammar.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Pronunciation

AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).

Accent: General American English

IPA: /ʃɔrt/

Easy pronunciation: SHORT (approximate spelling).

Stress: One syllable, so the whole word is stressed.

Primary sense: adjective meaning having little length or not very tall.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Short Meaning

not long from end to end, or not very tall

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: having little length or lacking in length

Example: She had short hair and wore a short jacket.

Synonyms for this meaning:

little — Can fit the height meaning, but it is broader and less exact than short.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Other Meanings of Short

Meaning 2

lasting only a little time

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

Example: We took a short break before the next meeting.

Meaning 3

not enough for what is needed

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: of insufficient quantity to meet a need

Example: We were short of cash after the trip.

Synonyms for this meaning:

inadequate — A genuine substitute when something is not enough.
poor — Works in some contexts, but is broader and less precise.

Meaning 4

blunt, abrupt, and not very polite

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: marked by rude or peremptory shortness

Example: His short reply made everyone uneasy.

Synonyms for this meaning:

brusk — A valid synonym, though less common in modern usage.
brusque — A strong and natural substitute.
curt — A strong and natural substitute.

Meaning 5

in a blunt or rude way

Part of speech: adverb

Definition: in a curt, abrupt and discourteous manner

Example: He answered short and walked away.

Synonyms for this meaning:

curtly — Matches the adverb sense well.

Meaning 6

suddenly

Part of speech: adverb

Definition: quickly and without warning

Example: The mood changed short, and everyone went quiet.

Synonyms for this meaning:

abruptly — A genuine fit for an abrupt, unexpected change.
suddenly — A strong everyday substitute in this sense.

Meaning 7

in an awkward or unprepared situation

Part of speech: adverb

Definition: at a disadvantage

Example: I was caught short when they asked for a speech.

Synonyms for this meaning:

unawares — Related in meaning, but more about surprise than disadvantage.

Meaning 8

less than is expected or required, especially on purpose

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so

Example: The scale showed that the package was short.

Synonyms for this meaning:

light — Works well for short weight or short measure.
scant — Can work, but is less specific and more formal.

Meaning 9

not able to remember much

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: (of memory) deficient in retentiveness or range

Example: He has a short memory for names.

Synonyms for this meaning:

forgetful — Close in sense, but it usually refers to general memory lapses rather than this exact phrasing.
unretentive — Correct but uncommon.

Meaning 10

not thinking far enough ahead

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: lacking foresight or scope

Example: It was a short-sighted decision.

Synonyms for this meaning:

myopic — A strong synonym in this figurative sense.
shortsighted — A direct and natural substitute.
unforesightful — Rare and awkward, but it matches the sense.

Meaning 11

betting that prices will fall

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: not holding securities or commodities that one sells in expectation of a fall in prices

Example: They took a short position in the market.

Meaning 12

pronounced with a short sound

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: of speech sounds or syllables of relatively short duration

Example: The vowel in “pet” is short.

Meaning 13

crumbly or flaky in texture

Part of speech: adjective

Definition: tending to crumble or break into flakes due to a large amount of shortening

Example: The pie crust was short and flaky.

Meaning 14

cause an electric circuit to short out

Part of speech: verb

Definition: create a short circuit in

Example: The damaged wire shorted the system.

Synonyms for this meaning:

short-circuit — The direct verb form for this electrical sense.

Meaning 15

give someone less money than they should get

Part of speech: verb

Definition: cheat someone by not returning him enough money

Example: The cashier short-changed him by mistake.

Synonyms for this meaning:

short-change — The direct verb synonym for this sense.

Meaning 16

the baseball player position between second and third base

Part of speech: noun

Definition: the fielding position of the player on a baseball team who is stationed between second and third base

Example: The ball went straight to short.

Synonyms for this meaning:

shortstop — The standard term for this position.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Short Synonyms

Similar Meaning

little

not enough for a need

inadequate
poor

blunt or rude in speech or manner

brusque
curt
brusk

short in speech or manner, as an adverb

curtly

suddenly or unexpectedly

abruptly
suddenly

in an awkward or unprepared situation

unawares

less than the full or legal amount

light
scant

forgetful or not retaining much in memory

forgetful
unretentive

lacking foresight

myopic
shortsighted
unforesightful

to cheat someone out of money

short-change

to cause an electrical short circuit

short-circuit

the baseball position

shortstop

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Common Mistakes

Using short to mean only “small” or “tiny” in every context.
Mixing up short as “not long” with short as “not enough.”
Using shortly as if it simply meant short in the sense of length.
Confusing short with shortsighted when talking about height or length.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main meaning of short?

The most common everyday meaning is “not long” or “not tall.”

What are the best synonyms for short?

It depends on the sense. For the main length sense, little can sometimes fit. For other senses, good synonyms include brusque, curt, inadequate, light, and shortsighted.

Is short always about length?

No. It can also mean not enough, rude in manner, suddenly, or several specialized things in finance, baseball, and electricity.

What does short mean in “short on money”?

It means not having enough money.

Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.