abridged

/əˈbrɪdʒd/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈbrɪdʒd/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈbrijd/ (ame, mw)

abridged — adjective

  • abridgedpositive
  • more abridgedcomparative
  • most abridgedsuperlative

1. When a book, article, or play is described as abridged, it means that the origin

1.形容詞B2
釋義

When a book, article, or play is described as abridged, it means that the original text has been reduced in length while keeping its essential content.

例句

The school library has an abridged version of 'The Odyssey' for younger readers.

common collocation: abridged version + of + [work]

Diego preferred the abridged edition because the original novel was too long for his daily commute.

collocation: abridged edition (contrasted with original)

同義詞
  • shortened

    more general and neutral — can apply to any text, not just published works

  • condensed

    suggests the shortened version is still dense with key information

  • concise

    positive connotation — expresses ideas clearly in few words; describes good style rather than a cut version

  • abbreviated

    often used for shorter forms of words or titles rather than whole texts

反義詞
  • unabridged

    the direct opposite — not shortened at all; a complete version

  • complete

    general opposite meaning the full text is present

  • full-length

    commonly used for books, plays, and films that have not been shortened

文法句型

abridged + noun (e.g. abridged version / abridged edition)

be + abridged

用法筆記

Abridged is used almost exclusively for written or recorded texts such as books, articles, plays, and audiobooks. It should not be applied to physical objects or events — a shortened rope or a shortened meeting is not abridged. The direct opposite is unabridged.

常見錯誤

The meeting was abridged because the manager left early.
The meeting was cut short because the manager left early.
💡abridged is used only for texts, not for events or time.
She gave an abridged summary of the film.
She gave a brief summary of the film.
💡abridged describes a shortened version of a work itself, not a person's spoken summary.