shortlist
SHORT-list
/ˈʃɔːrtlɪst/
A list of selected candidates from which a final choice is made.
A shortlist is the 'elite' group that has survived the initial screening and is now being seriously considered for the role.
The story behind the word. A modern compound word. It literally describes a list that has been made 'short' by removing the less qualified options.
Word relationships
- finalists: Finalists are the people on the shortlist.
- longlist: The initial, larger group of candidates before the first round of cuts.
Commonly confused with
- candidate: All people on the shortlist are candidates, but not all candidates make the shortlist.
Word family
- shortlisted (adj): Having been put on a shortlist.
Collocations
- make the shortlist
- final shortlist
- shortlist candidates
Example sentences
- "We have narrowed the fifty applicants down to a shortlist of three for the final interviews." Recruitment
- "The novel was included on the shortlist for the prestigious literary prize." Awards
Memory hook
You take a long list of names and cut it until it is a 'short' list of the best ones. Shortlist = The best few.
When not to use
Do not use this for the initial list of everyone who applied.
Fun facts
- The term 'longlist' was created as a back-formation once 'shortlist' became a standard term in the mid-20th century.
Explore more words
curate, exclusivity, interim, concise, criterion, prioritize
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