Shorts vs. Short — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 18, 2024
Shorts are knee-length or shorter garments worn for casual or athletic occasions, while "short" refers to a characteristic denoting something of limited duration or length.
Difference Between Shorts and Short
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Shorts are clothing items typically worn in warm weather or during athletic activities, made to cover the body from the waist to a length anywhere above the knee. Whereas "short" is an adjective that describes the length or duration of something, indicating that it is less than average or insufficient in extent.
Shorts provide comfort and ease of movement, making them ideal for outdoor and sporty settings. On the other hand, the term "short" can apply to various contexts such as short films, short stories, or short circuits, each suggesting a reduced size or time span compared to the norm.
When discussing fashion, shorts come in various styles such as cargo, denim, or athletic, each designed for specific purposes and occasions. In contrast, "short" can modify countless nouns, adapting its meaning based on the object it describes, like a short meeting or a short attention span.
Market trends often influence the design and popularity of different types of shorts, reflecting cultural preferences and climate conditions. Conversely, the use of "short" can signal brevity and conciseness in communication, often valued in professional or busy environments.
While shorts are chosen based on personal style and comfort, the preference for "short" or lengthy engagements can reflect individual or cultural tendencies towards time management and attention.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Garments worn from the waist to above knees
Adjective describing something of less length or duration
Context
Fashion, casual wear, sports
General usage across various contexts
Varieties
Cargo, denim, athletic, Bermuda
Short films, short stories, short spans
Related to
Comfort, style, weather conditions
Brevity, conciseness, inadequacy
Example Usage in Sentences
"He wore shorts to the picnic."
"The meeting was short."
Compare with Definitions
Shorts
Casual lower-body garment.
She prefers wearing shorts during the summer.
Short
Close or near in distance.
It’s a short walk to the store.
Shorts
Often has pockets.
The shorts have zippered pockets for secure storage.
Short
Not long or lengthy.
He gave a short speech.
Shorts
Made of various materials.
These denim shorts are perfect for a day out.
Short
Abrupt or curt in manner.
Her reply was short and to the point.
Shorts
Athletic wear.
He bought new running shorts for the marathon.
Short
Insufficient in amount.
We are short on supplies.
Shorts
Comes in different lengths.
Bermuda shorts are longer than typical shorts.
Short
Describing a brief period.
Her short tenure at the company was impactful.
Shorts
Shorts are a garment worn over the pelvic area, circling the waist and splitting to cover the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to the knees but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" because they are a shortened version of trousers, which cover the entire leg, but not the foot.
Short
Measuring a small distance from end to end
Short dark hair
A short flight of steps
The bed was too short for him
Shorts
Having little length; not long.
Short
Lasting or taking a small amount of time
Visiting London for a short break
A short conversation
Shorts
Having little height; not tall.
Short
Relatively small in extent
He wrote a short book
A short speech
Shorts
Extending or traveling not far or not far enough
A short toss.
Short
(of a vowel) categorized as short with regard to quality and length (e.g. in standard British English the vowel /ʊ/ in good is short as distinct from the long vowel /uː/ in food).
Shorts
Lasting a brief time
A short holiday.
Short
(of a person) terse; uncivil
He was often sharp and rather short with her
Shorts
Appearing to pass quickly
Finished the job in a few short months.
Short
(of odds or a chance) reflecting or representing a high level of probability
They have been backed at short odds to win thousands of pounds
Shorts
Not lengthy; succinct
Short and to the point.
Short
(of pastry) containing a high proportion of fat to flour and therefore crumbly.
Shorts
Rudely brief; abrupt
The owner was quite short with the new hire.
Short
(chiefly in sport) at, to, or over a relatively small distance
You go deep and you go short
Shorts
Easily provoked; irascible
Has a short temper.
Short
A drink of spirits served in a small measure.
Shorts
Inadequate; insufficient
Oil in short supply.
Were short on experience.
Short
A short film as opposed to a feature film.
Shorts
Lacking in length or amount
A board that is short two inches.
Short
A short sound such as a short signal in Morse code or a short vowel or syllable
Her call was two longs and a short
Shorts
Lacking in breadth or scope
A short view of the problem.
Short
A short circuit.
Shorts
Deficient in retentiveness
A short memory.
Short
A person who sells short.
Shorts
Holding a trading position that is inversely related to the price of a security or index
Short investors.
An investor who is short gold.
Short
A mixture of bran and coarse flour.
Shorts
Of or relating to a short sale
A short position.
Short
Short-circuit or cause to short-circuit
The electrical circuit had shorted out
If the contact terminals are shorted, the battery quickly overheats
Shorts
Containing a large amount of shortening; flaky
A short pie crust.
Short
Sell (stocks or other securities or commodities) in advance of acquiring them, with the aim of making a profit when the price falls
The rule prevents sellers from shorting a stock unless the last trade resulted in a price increase
Shorts
Not ductile; brittle
Short iron.
Short
Having little length; not long.
Shorts
(Linguistics) Of, relating to, or being a speech sound of relatively brief duration, as the first vowel sound in the Latin word mălus, "evil," as compared with the same or a similar sound of relatively long duration, as the first vowel sound in the Latin word mālus, "apple tree."
Short
Having little height; not tall.
Shorts
(Grammar) Of, relating to, or being a vowel sound in English, such as the vowel sound (ă) in pat or () in put, that is descended from a vowel of brief duration.
Short
Extending or traveling not far or not far enough
A short toss.
Shorts
Being of relatively brief duration. Used of a syllable in quantitative prosody.
Short
Lasting a brief time
A short holiday.
Shorts
(Slang) Close to the end of a tour of military duty.
Short
Appearing to pass quickly
Finished the job in a few short months.
Shorts
Abruptly; quickly
Stop short.
Short
Not lengthy; succinct
Short and to the point.
Shorts
In a rude or curt manner.
Short
Rudely brief; abrupt
The owner was quite short with the new hire.
Shorts
At a point before a given boundary, limit, or goal
A missile that landed short of the target.
Short
Easily provoked; irascible
Has a short temper.
Shorts
At a disadvantage
We were caught short by the sudden storm.
Short
Inadequate; insufficient
Oil in short supply.
Were short on experience.
Shorts
By means of a short sale
Selling a commodity short.
Short
Lacking in length or amount
A board that is short two inches.
Shorts
(Linguistics) A short syllable, vowel, or consonant.
Short
Lacking in breadth or scope
A short view of the problem.
Shorts
A brief film; a short subject.
Short
Deficient in retentiveness
A short memory.
Shorts
A size of clothing less long than the average for that size.
Short
Holding a trading position that is inversely related to the price of a security or index
Short investors.
An investor who is short gold.
Shorts
Shorts Short pants extending to the knee or above.
Short
Of or relating to a short sale
A short position.
Shorts
Shorts Undershorts.
Short
Containing a large amount of shortening; flaky
A short pie crust.
Shorts
A short sale.
Short
Not ductile; brittle
Short iron.
Shorts
One that sells short.
Short
(Linguistics) Of, relating to, or being a speech sound of relatively brief duration, as the first vowel sound in the Latin word mălus, "evil," as compared with the same or a similar sound of relatively long duration, as the first vowel sound in the Latin word mālus, "apple tree."
Shorts
Shorts A byproduct of wheat processing that consists of germ, bran, and coarse meal or flour.
Short
(Grammar) Of, relating to, or being a vowel sound in English, such as the vowel sound (ă) in pat or () in put, that is descended from a vowel of brief duration.
Shorts
Shorts Clippings or trimmings that remain as byproducts in various manufacturing processes, often used to make an inferior variety of the product.
Short
Being of relatively brief duration. Used of a syllable in quantitative prosody.
Shorts
A short circuit.
Short
(Slang) Close to the end of a tour of military duty.
Shorts
A malfunction caused by a short circuit.
Short
Abruptly; quickly
Stop short.
Shorts
(Baseball) A shortstop.
Short
In a rude or curt manner.
Shorts
To cause a short circuit in.
Short
At a point before a given boundary, limit, or goal
A missile that landed short of the target.
Shorts
(Informal) To give (one) less than one is entitled to; shortchange.
Short
At a disadvantage
We were caught short by the sudden storm.
Shorts
To short-sell (a security or index).
Short
By means of a short sale
Selling a commodity short.
Shorts
To short-circuit.
Short
(Linguistics) A short syllable, vowel, or consonant.
Shorts
Plural of short#Noun
Short
A brief film; a short subject.
Shorts
Pants or trousers worn for sports or in warmer weather that do not go lower than the knees.
Jessica hated covering her legs, so she usually wore shorts.
Short
A size of clothing less long than the average for that size.
Shorts
(dated) underpants.
After a scare like that, you might need to change your shorts.
Short
Shorts Short pants extending to the knee or above.
Shorts
(uncountable) Remnants, clippings, trimmings of production processes.
Short
Shorts Undershorts.
Shorts
The part of milled grain sifted out which is next finer than the bran; pollard.
Short
A short sale.
Shorts
Short, inferior hemp.
Short
One that sells short.
Shorts
Trousers that end at or above the knee
Short
Shorts A byproduct of wheat processing that consists of germ, bran, and coarse meal or flour.
Shorts
(usually in the plural) underpants worn by men
Short
Shorts Clippings or trimmings that remain as byproducts in various manufacturing processes, often used to make an inferior variety of the product.
Short
A short circuit.
Short
A malfunction caused by a short circuit.
Short
(Baseball) A shortstop.
Short
To cause a short circuit in.
Short
(Informal) To give (one) less than one is entitled to; shortchange.
Short
To short-sell (a security or index).
Short
To short-circuit.
Short
Having a small distance from one end or edge to another, either horizontally or vertically.
Short
(of a person) Of comparatively small height.
Short
Having little duration.
Our meeting was a short six minutes today. Every day for the past month it’s been at least twenty minutes long.
Short
(followed by for) Of a word or phrase, constituting an abbreviation (for another) or shortened form (of another).
"Phone" is short for "telephone" and "asap" short for "as soon as possible".
Short
That is relatively close to the batsman.
Short
Bowled so that it bounces relatively far from the batsman.
Short
That falls short of the green or the hole.
Short
(gambling) Of betting odds, offering a small return for the money wagered.
Short
Brittle, crumbly. See shortbread, shortcake, shortcrust, shortening, hot short, cold-short.
Short
Abrupt; brief; pointed; petulant.
He gave a short answer to the question.
Short
Limited in quantity; inadequate; insufficient; scanty.
A short supply of provisions
Short
Insufficiently provided; inadequately supplied, especially with money; scantily furnished; lacking.
To be short of money
I'd lend you the cash but I'm a little short at present.
The cashier came up short ten dollars on his morning shift.
Short
Deficient; less; not coming up to a measure or standard.
An account which is short of the truth
Short
(colloquial) Undiluted; neat.
Short
(obsolete) Not distant in time; near at hand.
Short
(finance) Being in a financial investment position that is structured to be profitable if the price of the underlying security declines in the future.
Short position
I'm short in General Motors because I think their sales are plunging.
Short
(by extension) Doubtful of, skeptical of.
Short
Of money: given in the fewest possible notes, i.e. those of the largest denomination.
Short
Abruptly, curtly, briefly.
They had to stop short to avoid hitting the dog in the street.
He cut me short repeatedly in the meeting.
The boss got a message and cut the meeting short.
Short
Unawares.
The recent developments at work caught them short.
Short
Without achieving a goal or requirement.
His speech fell short of what was expected.
Short
Relatively far from the batsman and hence bouncing higher than normal; opposite of full.
Short
(finance) With a negative ownership position.
We went short most finance companies in July.
Short
A short circuit.
Short
A short film.
Short
A short version of a garment in a particular size.
38 short suits fit me right off the rack.
Do you have that size in a short?
Short
(baseball) A shortstop.
Jones smashes a grounder between third and short.
Short
(finance) A short seller.
The market decline was terrible, but the shorts were buying champagne.
Short
(finance) A short sale or short position.
He closed out his short at a modest loss after three months.
Short
A summary account.
Short
(phonetics) A short sound, syllable, or vowel.
Short
(programming) An integer variable having a smaller range than normal integers; usually two bytes long.
Short
An automobile; especially in crack shorts, to break into automobiles.
Short
(transitive) To cause a short circuit in (something).
Short
To short circuit.
Short
(transitive) To shortchange.
Short
To provide with a smaller than agreed or labeled amount.
This is the third time I’ve caught them shorting us.
Short
To sell something, especially securities, that one does not own at the moment for delivery at a later date in hopes of profiting from a decline in the price; to sell short.
Short
(obsolete) To shorten.
Short
Deficient in.
We are short a few men on the second shift.
He's short common sense.
Short
(finance) Having a negative position in.
I don’t want to be short the market going into the weekend.
Short
Not long; having brief length or linear extension; as, a short distance; a short piece of timber; a short flight.
The bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it.
Short
Not extended in time; having very limited duration; not protracted; as, short breath.
The life so short, the craft so long to learn.
To short absense I could yield.
Short
Limited in quantity; inadequate; insufficient; scanty; as, a short supply of provisions, or of water.
Short
Insufficiently provided; inadequately supplied; scantily furnished; lacking; not coming up to a resonable, or the ordinary, standard; - usually with of; as, to be short of money.
We shall be short in our provision.
Short
Deficient; defective; imperfect; not coming up, as to a measure or standard; as, an account which is short of the trith.
Short
Not distant in time; near at hand.
Marinell was sore offendedThat his departure thence should be so short.
He commanded those who were appointed to attend him to be ready by a short day.
Short
Limited in intellectual power or grasp; not comprehensive; narrow; not tenacious, as memory.
Their own short understandings reachNo farther than the present.
Short
Less important, efficaceous, or powerful; not equal or equivalent; less (than); - with of.
Hardly anything short of an invasion could rouse them again to war.
Short
Abrupt; brief; pointed; petulant; as, he gave a short answer to the question.
Short
Breaking or crumbling readily in the mouth; crisp; as, short pastry.
Short
Brittle.
Short
Not prolonged, or relatively less prolonged, in utterance; - opposed to long, and applied to vowels or to syllables. In English, the long and short of the same letter are not, in most cases, the long and short of the same sound; thus, the i in ill is the short sound, not of i in isle, but of ee in eel, and the e in pet is the short sound of a in pate, etc. See Quantity, and Guide to Pronunciation, 22, 30.
Short
A summary account.
The short and the long is, our play is preferred.
Short
The part of milled grain sifted out which is next finer than the bran.
The first remove above bran is shorts.
Short
Short, inferior hemp.
Short
Breeches; shortclothes.
Short
A short sound, syllable, or vowel.
If we compare the nearest conventional shorts and longs in English, as in "bit" and "beat," "not" and "naught," we find that the short vowels are generally wide, the long narrow, besides being generally diphthongic as well. Hence, originally short vowels can be lengthened and yet kept quite distinct from the original longs.
Short
In a short manner; briefly; limitedly; abruptly; quickly; as, to stop short in one's course; to turn short.
He was taken up very short, and adjudged corrigible for such presumptuous language.
Short
To shorten.
Short
To fail; to decrease.
Short
The location on a baseball field where the shortstop is stationed
Short
Accidental contact between two points in an electric circuit that have a potential difference
Short
The fielding position of the player on a baseball team who is stationed between 2nd and 3rd base
Short
Cheat someone by not returning him enough money
Short
Create a short-circuit in
Short
Primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration;
A short life
A short flight
A short holiday
A short story
Only a few short months
Short
Primarily spatial sense; having little length or lacking in length;
Short skirts
Short hair
The board was a foot short
A short toss
Short
Low in stature; not tall;
His was short and stocky
Short in stature
A short smokestack
Short
Not sufficient to meet a need;
An inadequate income
A poor salary
Money is short
On short rations
Food is in short supply
Short on experience
Short
Not holding securities or commodities that one sells in expectation of a fall in prices;
A short sale
Short in cotton
Short
Of speech sounds (especially vowels) of relatively short duration (as e.g. the English vowel sounds in `pat', `pet', `pit', `pot', putt')
Short
Containing a large amount of shortening; therefore tender and easy to crumble or break into flakes;
Shortbread is a short crumbly cookie
A short flaky pie crust
Short
Less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so;
A light pound
A scant cup of sugar
Regularly gives short weight
Short
Used of syllables that are unaccented or of relatively brief duration
Short
(of memory) deficient in retentiveness or range;
A short memory
Short
Lacking foresight or scope;
A short view of the problem
Shortsighted policies
Shortsighted critics derided the plan
Myopic thinking
Short
Unwilling to endure;
She was short with the slower students
Short
Quickly aroused to anger;
A hotheaded commander
Short
Most direct;
Took the shortest and most direct route to town
Short
Marked by rude or peremptory shortness;
Try to cultivate a less brusque manner
A curt reply
The salesgirl was very short with him
Short
Quickly and without warning;
He stopped suddenly
Short
Without possessing something at the time it is contractually sold;
He made his fortune by selling short just before the crash
Short
Clean across;
The car's axle snapped short
Short
At some point or distance before a goal is reached;
He fell short of our expectations
Short
So as to interrupt;
She took him up short before he could continue
Short
At a disadvantage;
I was caught short
Short
Tightly;
She caught him up short on his lapel
Short
In a curt, abrupt and discourteous manner;
He told me curtly to get on with it
He talked short with everyone
He said shortly that he didn't like it
Common Curiosities
What are shorts typically made from?
Shorts are often made from materials like cotton, polyester, or denim.
What does it mean when a film is described as short?
A short film typically lasts less than 40 minutes.
Can shorts be formal wear?
Generally, shorts are considered casual wear, though certain styles like Bermuda shorts can be dressed up.
Is there a preferred length for shorts?
Preferred lengths vary by personal taste and cultural norms; however, anything above the knee is commonly accepted as shorts.
What distinguishes shorts from pants?
Shorts cover the body from the waist to above the knees, whereas pants extend to the ankles.
In what contexts can 'short' be used?
"Short" can be used in terms of length, duration, distance, or even temperament.
Can 'short' imply a deficiency?
Yes, "short" can suggest a lack or deficiency, as in "short of funds" or "short-staffed."
How do you style shorts for different occasions?
Styling can vary greatly: athletic shorts for sports, denim shorts for casual outings, and tailored shorts for a smart-casual look.
Is wearing shorts acceptable in professional settings?
Typically, shorts are not appropriate in traditional office settings, but creative or informal sectors might allow it.
How does the adjective 'short' compare with 'brief'?
Both indicate a reduced duration, but "short" can also imply physical length, whereas "brief" strictly relates to time.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
