Increase
Increase verb - To make greater in size, amount, or number.
Usage example: we have to increase the number of season-ticket holders if the local sports franchise is to survive
Shorten
Shorten verb - To make less in extent or duration.
Usage example: if Grandma has to go shopping today, you'll need to shorten your visit
Common collocations
Both words in one sentence
-
She is a seeress whose visions shorten her life span and the distortions in time increase the frequency of her visioons which leads to a premature death.
Source: The Gods Must Be Lazy -
His drones can be upgraded to increase damage as well as shorten the time needed to aim, though good luck getting them to target the enemy you want.
- They proceed to shorten her skirt, increase the woman's bust size and strip the top off, whereas they then remove the dress completely, which by the commercials own logic would require them to strip off the outside of their car.
Source: Pac-Man Fever
Cite this Source
Shorten and Increase. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/increase/shorten
Increase & Shorten. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/increase/shorten>.
Shorten or Increase. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/increase/shorten.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "increase" and "shorten" have occurred on timeline