short·cut
ˈshȯrt-ˌkət 
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
Christopher Breencalled also hot key
shortcut; shortcutting
: to shorten (a route, a procedure, etc.) by use of a shortcut
also
: circumvent
: 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
Shikher Goel, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Take a cooking break: These shortcuts do all the hard work for you.
—Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 4 June 2025
Dr. Cynthia J. Young, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Unfortunately this shortcut to producing amazing spirits has a downside; the cost is high in terms of evaporation, which can exceed 10% per year.
—Mark Littler, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for shortcut
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Noun
From Casual Use To Strategic Design Prompt engineering isn't about clever tricks or shortcuts.
—Shikher Goel, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Take a cooking break: These shortcuts do all the hard work for you.
—Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 4 June 2025
Verb
What shortcuts or mental models have made your work easier?
—Dr. Cynthia J. Young, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Unfortunately this shortcut to producing amazing spirits has a downside; the cost is high in terms of evaporation, which can exceed 10% per year.
—Mark Littler, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for shortcut
Cite this Entry
“Shortcut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shortcut. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shortcut
1 of 2 noun
short·cut
ˈshȯrt-ˌkət
-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
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