shortcut

1 of 2

noun

short·​cut ˈshȯrt-ˌkət How to pronounce shortcut (audio)
 also  -ˈkət
1
: a route more direct than the one ordinarily taken
2
: a method or means of doing something more directly and quickly than and often not so thoroughly as by ordinary procedure
a shortcut to success
3
: a key or combination of keys on a computer keyboard programmed to perform a specific function when pressed
You can open any item by clicking it or by assigning it a keyboard shortcut.Christopher Breen

called also hot key

shortcut

2 of 2

verb

shortcut; shortcutting

transitive verb

: to shorten (a route, a procedure, etc.) by use of a shortcut
also : circumvent

intransitive verb

: to take or use a shortcut

Examples of shortcut in a Sentence

Noun Wait, I know a shortcut. Turn left here. We took a shortcut home. Let's take the shortcut through the woods. I used a shortcut to calculate the total weight. There are no shortcuts to learning another language. Mistakes were made because too many shortcuts were taken. Verb are you sure there's no way to shortcut the entrance requirements?
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Those range from loose voter registration standards to provisions that contradict Arizona's laws and constitution to procedural shortcuts that minimize public involvement. Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024 Frozen sweet potato, bottle salsa, and canned beans are easy shortcuts that boost the flavor of this egg recipe for breakfast. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 Raveendran’s style of instruction focused on teaching students the fundamentals, rather than resorting to shortcuts. Pallavi Pundir, Fortune Asia, 1 Mar. 2024 In addition, United passengers at O'Hare can use their faces at a new bag-drop shortcut. Rob Wile, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2024 Because our brains cannot process all the bits of information they are presented with, the shortcuts get hardwired into our brains, leading to assumptions and, often, non-inclusive behavior. Julie Kratz, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Built with bi-level shortcuts, a two-story Royal Promenade with no dead ends, and smart elevators that use machine learning to whisk guests up and down 18 public decks, the new flagship abounds in intuitive innovation. David Dickstein, Orange County Register, 2 Feb. 2024 There are some that might say using shortcuts in cooking is cheating. Julie Hirschhorn, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 There are, of course, no shortcuts to the nuanced flavors of tahdig or nurungji or socarrat, but this dish makes for a deliciously easy one-pan meal that will come out right every time, without either practice or luck. Melissa Clark, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2024
Verb
Today, Lover Lane serves the town as a regular road and shortcut from Furnace Hill Road to County Road F. City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County In Milwaukee, Lovers Lane is split into two parts of a 40-mile highway, connected by Mayfair Road and 108th Street. Eva Wen, Journal Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2024 Diverting around Africa can take as much as 25% longer than using the Suez Canal shortcut between Asia and Europe, adding to costs that may ultimately be passed on to consumers. Christian Wienberg, Fortune, 30 Dec. 2023 And what better shortcut than the oh-so-convenient power of a set? Annie Blackman, Allure, 5 Nov. 2023 YouTube shortcuts: On your computer, tap keys 0 through 9 to skip to a specific percentage of the video. Kim Komando, USA TODAY, 18 Aug. 2023 The Quick Panel—which houses shortcuts for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and more—now features brightness settings by default. Iyaz Akhtar, PCMAG, 10 Aug. 2023 Take the stress out of dinner with saucy skillet recipes, quick-prep pastas, shortcut salads and soups, and more easy meal ideas. 01 Queso Fundido Torta View Recipe Mexican dinner recipes in less than seven ingredients? Kristy Alpert, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 June 2023 Create custom macros and shortcuts to streamline your gameplay and gain a competitive edge. Stack Commerce, Popular Science, 7 June 2023 Self-citation has long been a popular—if controversial—shortcut for scientists looking to boost their academic standing. Byfrederik Joelving, science.org, 7 June 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1637, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1915, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of shortcut was in 1637

Dictionary Entries Near shortcut

Cite this Entry

“Shortcut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shortcut. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

shortcut

1 of 2 noun
short·​cut ˈshȯrt-ˌkət How to pronounce shortcut (audio)
-ˈkət
: a shorter, quicker, or easier way
a shortcut through the woods
a shortcut to fame

shortcut

2 of 2 verb
shortcut; shortcutting
: to take or use a shortcut

More from Merriam-Webster on shortcut

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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