How to Use short in a Sentence

short

1 of 4 adjective
  • The movie was very short.
  • You have done a lot in a short space of time.
  • He is short for his age.
  • Life's too short to worry about the past.
  • She has made great progress in a few short years.
  • I've only lived here for a short time.
  • One of my legs is slightly shorter than the other.
  • He visited for two short weeks.
  • What’s next in the short-form space?
    — Partner Content, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
  • In short, yes, but not for very long.
    — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 18 Apr. 2026
  • One of these bouts is set up to be a short one.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
  • His stretches on the mound were short.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • These short moments are gold to fight fans.
    — Chris Lee, Vulture, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Write a short blurb with link to story.
    — Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
  • And then the split was on-play, short, lot of swing-and-miss.
    — Jack Vita, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Life is too short not to take chances on yourself.
    — Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The trouble comes in the years the wild food falls short.
    — John Drake, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
  • Keep it short, kind, and easy to act on today.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Straight, short and without eyes.
    — Sacbee.com, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Beyoncé's new short bob sparked a fan frenzy.
    — Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Opting out in the short term can mean big wins down the road.
    — Jodie Cook, Forbes, 5 July 2021
  • The Dodgers tried to come back in the ninth, but fell short.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2026
  • Many of those yards and points have been piled up in short order.
    — John Holler, USA TODAY Sportsbook Wire, 23 Dec. 2019
  • And the lead kept growing, even with that short miss at the end.
    — Doug Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
  • Start by wearing them in the house or on a short walk around the park.
    — Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2023
  • Their hair is always worn long, the skirts short, sporty, and tight.
    — Jihan Forbes, Allure, 19 May 2022
  • But Sturm should not be sold short, either.
    — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Your avenge renter in Denver is far more short term.
    — Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 24 Feb. 2026
  • In short, make sure that your journal (and your brain) is a safe space.
    — Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2023
  • That didn’t work when some of those irons didn’t always find the short grass.
    — Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2022

short

2 of 4 adverb
  • He threw the ball short.
  • Her hair was in places chopped short.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Tatis has thus far come up short on that front.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 26 May 2026
  • Who came up short for the Hawks?
    — Zach Harper, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Who came up short for the Celtics?
    — Zach Harper, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Yet again, it was said that the strains would be short-lived.
    — Priya Dharshini, Quartz, 28 Nov. 2021
  • The run of bad news might have seemed, at first, to be short-lived.
    — Hilda Bastian, The Atlantic, 30 Mar. 2021
  • The Raiders scored a late goal and fell short by one.
    — Alex Kushel, Sun Sentinel, 10 May 2026
  • Bernthal, to be fair, is short-changed.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Your mini nail look doesn't have to come short on style.
    — Odeya Pinkus, InStyle, 22 June 2026
  • Self has had too many teams that were good enough to be here but fell short.
    — Sam Mellinger, kansascity, 30 Mar. 2018
  • Norvell, in hindsight, fell short on both counts.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
  • The gains were short-lived, and the progress is now in peril.
    — Michelle Ruiz, Vogue, 18 Aug. 2021
  • New York was short-handed again.
    — ABC News, 13 May 2026
  • The valuable part is that he can be used short, he can be used long.
    — Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 1 June 2021
  • That leaves Houston short in more ways than one.
    — C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Even that shot was right on line but just short, grazing the front of the rim.
    — Mike Hutton, Post-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2018
  • But the joy was short-lived when Senegal scored a third goal.
    — James Montague, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2022
  • Nearly two-thirds fell short in math and science.
    — Suzette Valladares, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
  • While a storm may briefly cool things off, relief from the heat would be short-lived.
    — Christine Dempsey, courant.com, 24 Aug. 2020
  • Still, the search came up short as no new evidence was found.
    — Erin Corbett, refinery29.com, 23 Apr. 2020
  • Even throwing short to beat pressure won’t be so easy.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
  • The group came up short on all fronts this time around, however.
    — Sam Kmack, The Arizona Republic, 18 Mar. 2024
  • Holmgren earned that spot last year but fell short in the final vote.
    — Staff, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Both of those teams came up short in their quest for the championship.
    — Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 2 July 2021
  • Just so smug and elitist and short-sighted.
    — Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Mizzou fell short in some of the things that Gates has harped on.
    — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 20 Jan. 2026
  • Reveal your recipe short-cut or don't, but odds are mouths will be too full to ask.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2025
  • This isn’t the first time Adam’s come up short before the show ends.
    — Megan Stein, Country Living, 8 May 2019
  • Dunk’s victory — so hard won — could be short lived.
    — Noel Murray, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026

short

3 of 4 noun
  • The short before the main movie was very funny.
  • This doesn’t mean no shorts—far from it.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
  • But not just any shorts — rather, suit shorts!
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Quartz doesn’t rhyme with parts, but rather shorts.
    — Literary Hub, 25 June 2026
  • If jeans and shorts were on your list, think again.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 15 June 2026
  • Say goodbye to warmth and shorts.
    — David Staats, Idaho Statesman, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Like your shorts a little longer?
    — Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 28 June 2026
  • That’s one of my favorite shorts.
    — Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Sep. 2025
  • These tie-waist shorts fall right in the middle.
    — Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 25 May 2026
  • Choose from shorts and capri sets or caftan sleepshirts.
    — ABC News, 12 May 2026
  • By day, pool attire, shorts, and jeans abound.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2026
  • And the less said about those short shorts, the better.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2026
  • The sweater was paired with black shorts, knee-high black boots and a black purse.
    — Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2025
  • The breezy tube top and shorts are just $14 apiece right now.
    — Genevieve Cepeda, InStyle, 26 June 2026
  • Rizzo is in shorts and a T-shirt.
    — Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 17 June 2026
  • City girls aren’t afraid of style risks–and winter shorts are proof.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 27 Jan. 2026
  • She was last seen wearing black shorts, a black shirt and no shoes.
    — Katie Langford, Denver Post, 29 Apr. 2026
  • She was last seen wearing a black shirt, red shorts and black shoes.
    — Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 2 Nov. 2025
  • The same rule applies to boys’ and men’s board shorts or swim trunks.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The same rule applies to boys’ and men’s board shorts or swim trunks.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2026
  • She is looked at in slacks and sweaters, in shorts and bikini bathing suits.
    — Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 28 Dec. 2025
  • The T-shirt and shorts both have a relaxed fit.
    — Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 June 2026
  • Ramirez wore red swimming shorts as the pair shared a sweet kiss in the ocean.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Her Bermuda-length shorts reached the top of her boots.
    — Tara Larson, Footwear News, 23 Jan. 2026
  • When spring weather can’t make up its mind, this sweater and shorts set steps in.
    — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 6 May 2026
  • And the shorts have a drawstring for a perfect fit.
    — Cheryl Wagemann, InStyle, 24 May 2026
  • Want to give your workout shorts a more styles approach?
    — Ariel Bielsky, InStyle, 24 June 2026
  • The shorts look like a sexy diaper.
    — Stephanie Mansfield, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2025
  • These breezy linen shorts are on sale in seven shades and patterns.
    — Genevieve Cepeda, InStyle, 26 June 2026
  • Godard has some shorts under his belt.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025

short

4 of 4 verb
  • The hair dryer must have shorted.
  • The lightning shorted the TV.
  • But not just any shorts — rather, suit shorts!
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Horner grounded to short in his first at-bat.
    — Doug Haller, New York Times, 1 June 2026
  • Of course the star who made red carpet shorts a thing (twice) will wear a tank any time.
    — Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Sometimes a power strip will short and shut off your devices.
    — Kim Komando, USA TODAY, 10 Nov. 2022
  • The army of traders also bought up other stocks the hedge fund had shorted.
    — Steve Mollman, Fortune, 17 Mar. 2023
  • The fault shunts extra current to some parts of the circuit, shorting it out.
    — IEEE Spectrum, 27 May 2023
  • Those who shorted the provocation phase got crushed by the pivot.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
  • Gillespie and his movie-star cast aren’t trying to short squeeze the topic for statuettes.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2023
  • Princess Diana made a sweater and bike shorts the ‘90s cool-girl uniform.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The only thing worse than headphones that start shorting out is having to throw them away and buy a whole new pair.
    — Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, 28 Sep. 2015
  • Alas, Sanchez couldn’t hold his swing on a 3-0 changeup, and his meek grounder to short killed the threat.
    — Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2017
  • Give your jeans or shorts an instant upgrade by swapping out your regular belt for a chic silk scarf.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 23 May 2026
  • Sofi believed that the workers were being shorted.
    — ProPublica, 13 Sep. 2025
  • On second thought, shorting security stocks might be a bad idea.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Once that happens, the battery can short out, overheat or fail entirely.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
  • The weapon delivers a surge of energy that can short out anything from cell phones to power grids.
    — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 8 July 2022
  • As a result, the starter toasted itself to a crisp and the ignition shorted out.
    — Larry Griffin, Car and Driver, 21 Feb. 2023
  • If any one of the pins shows continuity, then the compressor is shorted out.
    — Brett Martin, Popular Mechanics, 14 Feb. 2017
  • Now, the risk of injury that would short-circuit a lucrative career as a sire seems to loom a lot larger.
    — New York Times, 12 June 2018
  • In the nineties, George Soros became famous for shorting the British pound.
    — Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
  • Use clam shell-type products to keep water from getting into the connection point and shorting out the lights.
    — Kylie Petty, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Dec. 2025
  • When the reunion begins, the bar cranks the sound system so loudly that the speaker closest to me keeps shorting out.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 8 June 2023
  • Godfrey suggests instead the fire could have caused the circuits in the ceiling area to short out, pop the breakers, and cut out the lights.
    — Helena Skinner, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2023
  • The National Hockey League has been kind in recent years to short guys.
    — Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Sep. 2019
  • Tyler Saladino moved to from third base to short, and catcher Manny Pina came in to play third.
    — Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6 July 2019
  • Some of them may sell or short the stocks, betting a deluge of shares is about to hit the market, driving the price into a slump known as an overhang.
    — Gillian Tan, Bloomberg.com, 27 Mar. 2022
  • In the final portrait, Elvis looks like an animatronic robot about to short out in the rain.
    — Will Heinrich, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2023
  • The water shorted his air conditioning unit.
    — Mario Ariza, ProPublica, 15 Sep. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'short.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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