Phrase guide

cut short

adj · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Having been cut short, reduced.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: adjective, error-misspelling, participle

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To interrupt or curtail before the planned end time.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The party was cut short because everything was getting broken.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To stop someone from finishing what they are saying.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • He cut her short because he knew what she was going to say.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see cut, short.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end or its full extent

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • My speech was cut short
  • Personal freedom is curtailed in many countries

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: clip, curtail

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: shorten

6

verb

Meaning 6

make shorter as if by cutting off

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • truncate a word
  • Erosion has truncated the ridges of the mountains

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: truncate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: shorten

7

verb

Meaning 7

interrupt before its natural or planned end

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We had to cut short our vacation

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: break short, break off

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: interrupt, break

Narrower terms: hang up

8

verb

Meaning 8

cause to end earlier than intended

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The spontaneous applause cut the singer short

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: interrupt, disrupt

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: beenden — to curtail
  • German: verkürzen — to curtail
  • German: abbrechen — to curtail
  • Ancient Greek: κολούω (koloúō) — to curtail
  • Māori: inaki — to curtail
  • Māori: keremutu — to curtail
  • Polish: ukrócać — to curtail
  • Polish: ukrócić — to curtail
  • Portuguese: sustar — to curtail
  • German: jmdm. das Wort abschneiden — to interrupt and stop so. from speaking on and on
  • German: jmdm. ins Wort fallen — to interrupt and stop so. from speaking on and on
  • Polish: przerywać — to interrupt and stop so. from speaking on and on
  • Polish: przerwać — to interrupt and stop so. from speaking on and on
  • Spanish: cortar — to interrupt and stop so. from speaking on and on
  • Spanish: interrumpir — to interrupt and stop so. from speaking on and on