All Words
Monday, July 14, 2025
Word of the Day

abridge

verb

To shorten a book, film, or other work without losing essential content; to curtail rights or privileges.

Common - Frequently used in everyday language

Etymology

From Old French abregier "to shorten," from Late Latin abbreviare "to shorten," from ad- "to" + brevis "short."

Examples in Use

  • 1.

    "The novel was abridged for the audiobook version."

  • 2.

    "The Constitution forbids abridging freedom of speech."

  • 3.

    "Time constraints forced them to abridge the presentation."

Related Vocabulary

Synonyms

shortencondenseabbreviatecutcurtail

Related Words

reducecompresstruncatesummarize

Fun Fact

The First Amendment states Congress shall make no law "abridging the freedom of speech." This legal usage—limiting or curtailing—is older than the "shorten" meaning we use for books today.

Word Game Tips

Letters: 7 letters (A, B, R, I, D, G, E)

Scrabble Value: 11 points

Tip: Try building from common prefixes or suffixes when you spot these letters.

Put Your Vocabulary to the Test!

Ready to find words like "abridge" in a puzzle? Try today's Zabble challenge!