or even shorter

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "or even shorter" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It is typically used to emphasize that something can be made even more concise or brief. Example: "I was going to summarize the report, but I think it can be shortened, or even shorter, to just a few key points."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

Now we're seeing deals that are on a par with or even shorter than U.S. timeframes.

TechCrunch

Moreover, other randomized trials have used intervention periods of equal length or even shorter (Stasinopoulos and Stasinopoulos, 2004).

Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics

After inoculation of most of the strains, the length of the main root was comparable to the control (not inoculated seedlings) or even shorter (Table 3, see Additional file 2).

Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture

Such remedies include a breakup of the company, forced licensing of Microsofts source code, or even shorter patent expirations on a par with pharmaceutical patents, which typically run out in a few years.

Forbes

Surgery is the only curative treatment option, however, majority of the patients at the time of diagnosis are candidates with unresectable, locally advanced, or metastatic disease, resulting the overall survival (OS) less than 12 months or even shorter (Ryan et al., 2014; Chan and Berlin 2015).

Protein & Cell

This after more than half of all states passed laws intended to impose similar or even shorter limits.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

Don't look for beauty, catfights or even short skirts.

The New York Times - Arts

I don't mean gay men or black men or poor, uneducated men or even short men.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"In terms of long-term or even short-term stability of the league, it's obviously a huge setback if they go through with it," Feldman said.

The New York Times - Sports

And the "gosses" — had they known — would have envied youngsters in America, who don't trouble about shoes or even short stockings these summer days.

The New York Times

Last year, the hemline of shorts began to rise above the knee and flirt with the male "private parts": immediately anti-men's shorts sentiments exploded across the internet debating whether men should wear short-shorts, or even shorts at all.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "or even shorter" to emphasize that an already concise item can be made even more brief. For example, "The summary should be short, or even shorter, if possible."

Common error

While grammatically correct, "or even shorter" can sound informal in some contexts. Opt for alternatives like "or more concise" to maintain a formal tone when necessary.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "or even shorter" functions as a comparative modifier, adding emphasis to a preceding adjective or adverb suggesting a further reduction. Ludwig confirms its common usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

47%

News & Media

41%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "or even shorter" is a grammatically sound and frequently used comparative modifier that emphasizes the possibility of further reduction or brevity. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides numerous examples across various contexts, including science, news media, and general writing. While appropriate for most situations, slightly more formal alternatives like "or more concise" may be preferable in highly formal settings. The phrase functions to reinforce the idea of minimization, highlighting that something can be reduced to an extent less than what was previously indicated.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

or possibly briefer

Replaces "shorter" with "briefer", emphasizing conciseness.

or perhaps more concise

Substitutes "shorter" with "more concise", highlighting succinctness.

or even less lengthy

Replaces "shorter" with "less lengthy", offering a more formal tone.

or maybe even quicker

Shifts the focus to time, using "quicker" instead of "shorter".

or considerably reduced

Focuses on the act of reducing something, implying a shorter duration or length.

or even more abbreviated

Uses "abbreviated" to stress the condensed nature of something.

or substantially curtailed

Emphasizes a significant reduction or shortening.

or even more diminished

Highlights the lessening or shrinking of something.

or significantly lessened

Stresses the act of something becoming notably smaller or briefer.

or materially abridged

Uses "abridged" to denote a reduced or shortened version.

FAQs

What does "or even shorter" mean?

The phrase "or even shorter" is used to indicate that something can be reduced to an extent that is less than what was previously mentioned. It emphasizes brevity and conciseness.

How can I use "or even shorter" in a sentence?

You can use "or even shorter" to suggest a further reduction in length or duration. For example, "The meeting should last an hour, "or even shorter", if all agenda items are covered quickly."

Are there any formal alternatives to "or even shorter"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "or more concise", "or even briefer", or "or significantly reduced" as more formal alternatives to "or even shorter".

Is "or even shorter" grammatically correct?

Yes, "or even shorter" is grammatically correct and commonly used in English to emphasize the possibility of further reducing something.