condense

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'condense' is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used as a verb to describe the process of making something shorter or more concise, or as an adjective to describe something that has been made shorter or more concise. For example: "The professor asked the student to condense their essay from five pages to three pages" or "The professor was impressed with the student's condense work".

✓ Grammatically correct

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

If the updraft is moist, the water will condense and form clouds; condensation in turn will release latent heat energy, further fueling upward air motion and increasing the instability.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Totally different from Earth's solar system, they appeared to violate a basic tenet of the formation process discussed above that giant planets must form far enough from the hot central condensation to allow ice to condense.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In the atmosphere, however, there is an abundant supply of aerosols, which serve as nuclei, called condensation nuclei, on which water vapour may condense.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Older relatives are always telling me how lucky our generation is; while I love stumbling across a book perfect for an upcoming essay, the internet allows us to condense hours of research in the library into minutes with just a few Google searches.

The Guardian

Firstly I take notes from the textbook on huge A3 sheets, then I condense it on to mini flash cards, then I type it all up.

The Guardian

Helpfully John used storify the condense the conversation himself so we didn't have to.

The Guardian

If the steam is much colder than 150°C, it will start to condense into water before it can be used to turn a turbine.

The Economist

As moisture-laden breezes roll in from the Atlantic, the water in the air condenses on the beetles' backs (just as a cold bottle of beer left on a table causes water in the air to condense on its surface).

The Economist

They must condense a loose 22-page draft of the text of a new treaty into a tight and workable document of ten pages or so, which has to be finalised by June.

The Economist

Mr Khosla has invested in several biotechnology companies that aim to condense the multi-million-year process of creating oil from plant life into a matter of hours.

The Economist

"A Civil Action", with John Travolta, attempts to condense the history of a complex legal imbroglio involving corporate responsibility, community action and the American judicial system into an Oscar-aimed tale of good against evil, betraying the subtle, persuasive arguments in Jonathan Harr's book.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing scientific or technical documents, ensure you use "condense" to accurately describe processes involving state changes or volume reduction.

Common error

While "condense" is versatile, using it too often in casual writing can make your language sound unnecessarily formal or technical. Opt for simpler alternatives like "shorten" or "summarize" for a more natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The word "condense" primarily functions as a verb, describing the action of reducing in size, volume, or changing from a gaseous to a liquid state. As shown by Ludwig, the word is correctly and effectively usable in a variety of written contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Science

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "condense" is a versatile verb with a strong presence across various writing styles. As confirmed by Ludwig, it effectively conveys the action of reducing size or changing state, particularly from gas to liquid. Its use is common in News & Media, Encyclopedias and Science contexts, while less frequent in formal business, wiki and reference related sources. When aiming for formal or scientific writing, "condense" offers precision, but remember that more informal options may exist. The word's high frequency and clear grammatical function make it a valuable addition to any writer's toolkit.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

compress

Focuses on applying pressure to reduce volume or size. Semantic similarity is very high.

abridge

Implies shortening something, typically a text, while retaining the core content.

distill

Suggests extracting the essential elements from a mixture.

summarize

Means to give a brief account of something.

concentrate

Focuses on increasing the density or strength of a substance.

reduce

Refers to making something smaller or less.

contract

Implies a decrease in size or extent.

minify

Means to reduce to a very small size.

digest

To summarize or arrange methodically.

liquefy

Focuses specifically on changing a substance into a liquid form.

FAQs

How can I use "condense" in a sentence?

You can use "condense" to describe reducing the size or volume of something, such as "The editor asked the writer to condense the article". It can also refer to a gas changing into a liquid, like "Steam will condense on a cold surface".

What are some synonyms for "condense"?

Alternatives to "condense" include "compress", "summarize", "distill", "abridge", and "concentrate". The best choice depends on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use "condense" instead of "summarize"?

"Condense" is often used when referring to reducing size or volume, or changing state, whereas "summarize" is better suited for shortening a text or speech while retaining the main points.

Can "condense" be used as an adjective?

Yes, "condense" can be used as an adjective, meaning something is compact or dense, as in "the huge condense bodies of planets".