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abbreviate meaning and examples

2025-09-09

Meaning

“Abbreviate” means to make something shorter, especially a word, phrase, or piece of writing, by leaving out certain letters or parts.

Grammar and Usage

  • Part of speech: Verb

  • Forms: abbreviates, abbreviating, abbreviated

  • Transitivity: Transitive (always needs an object)

  • Typical patterns:

    • abbreviate something
    • abbreviate something to short form

Example: We abbreviate “information technology” to IT.

Common Phrases

  • abbreviate a word
  • abbreviate a title
  • abbreviate a name
  • abbreviate to (short form)

Collocations

  • verb + abbreviate: often abbreviate, usually abbreviate
  • noun + abbreviate: word abbreviate, title abbreviate, sentence abbreviate
  • abbreviate + noun: abbreviate names, abbreviate words, abbreviate sentences

Examples

  1. “Doctor” is often abbreviated to “Dr.”
  2. The company’s name was abbreviated to make it easier to remember.
  3. In texting, people often abbreviate words to save time.
  4. The organization decided to abbreviate its lengthy title.
  5. “International Business Machines” is abbreviated as IBM.
  6. The teacher asked the students not to abbreviate in formal writing.
  7. The report was abbreviated for the summary version.
  • shorten
  • contract
  • reduce
  • condense

Antonym

  • extend
  • lengthen
  • elaborate