# shortening

/ˈʃɔɹtənɪŋ/ (US) · /ʃˈɔːtənɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shortening
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

a type of solid fat, like butter or lard, used in baking. It makes food like cookies or pie crusts very soft and crumbly.

For teachers: any fat that remains solid at room temperature and is used to give pastry a crisp or crumbly texture. It functions by preventing the formation of long gluten strands in dough.

## Examples

- The recipe calls for half a cup of vegetable shortening.
- Using shortening instead of butter results in a flakier pie crust that holds its shape better in the oven.
- While traditional recipes often specify lard, modern bakers frequently substitute vegetable-based shortening to achieve a similar melt-in-the-mouth consistency without using animal products.

## Usage notes

- Uncountable when referring to the substance in general; countable when referring to specific commercial varieties.

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