shorted

Shorted is the past participle of the verb short and is used across different technical and everyday contexts to indicate a reduced length, a sensitive financial position, or an unintended electrical connection. The exact meaning depends on the domain, but in each case it conveys the idea of something being cut short, bypassed, or made to function in an abnormal way.

In finance, to have a position that is shorted means an investor has sold borrowed shares of a security with the expectation that the price will fall. The goal is to repurchase the shares later at a lower price, return them to the lender, and pocket the difference. Short selling creates short interest on a stock; if the price rises, losses accumulate, and a short squeeze can occur when many short sellers rush to cover their positions, driving the price higher.

In electronics and electrical engineering, being shorted describes a short circuit, where a low-resistance path connects two points that should be at different voltages. This can cause excessive current, heat, blown fuses, or damaged components. A component or wire “shorted to ground” means it has been inadvertently connected to the earth, often due to insulation failure, damage, or miswiring.

Other uses include the general sense of shortening something—reducing its length or duration, such as clothing alterations or abbreviated plans. In technical writing, context usually clarifies whether shorted refers to a financial position, a electrical fault, or a reduction in length.