Explanation at your level:
To condense means to make something smaller. If you have a lot of water in the air, it can turn into small drops on a cold glass. We call this condensation. You can also condense a long story into a short one.
You use condense when you want to make something more compact. In science, it is when gas turns to liquid. In writing, it is when you remove extra words to make a summary. It is useful for keeping things short and clear.
The verb condense is used to describe the process of making something denser or shorter. It is common in scientific contexts regarding phase changes, such as steam turning to water. It is also used in business to describe summarizing information into a more manageable format.
Condense is a versatile verb. Beyond the physical transformation of gas to liquid, it is frequently used to describe the distillation of complex ideas into a concise format. It implies a deliberate effort to remove 'filler' or 'noise' to reveal the core essence of a subject.
In advanced usage, condense often carries a nuance of purification or intensification. When a writer condenses a narrative, they are not just shortening it; they are heightening the impact by stripping away the non-essential. It is a word that denotes precision and efficiency in both physical and intellectual domains.
From an etymological standpoint, condense captures the transition from diffusion to concentration. Whether describing the atmospheric physics of vapor transition or the rhetorical strategy of synthesizing vast amounts of data, the word suggests a move toward higher density and greater utility. It is a staple in academic and technical discourse where brevity is a virtue.
30초 단어
- Means to make shorter or denser.
- Used for gas turning to liquid.
- Used for summarizing text.
- Pronounced kən-DENS.
When we talk about condense, we are usually looking at two very different situations. First, in science, it describes the physical change where a gas becomes a liquid. Think about a cold soda can on a hot day; the water on the outside didn't leak through the metal, it condensed from the air!
Second, we use it for information. If you have a long, rambling essay, you might condense it into a shorter summary. It is all about making things more compact, whether that is steam turning into water or a long speech becoming a quick highlight reel.
The word condense comes to us from the Latin word condensare, which means to make thick or dense. It is a combination of com- (together) and densus (thick/dense). It entered Middle English through Old French in the 14th century.
Originally, it was used primarily in physical contexts—describing things becoming physically thicker or more packed together. Over time, the meaning evolved to include the scientific process of phase changes and, eventually, the metaphorical use of shortening text or ideas.
You will hear condense in both scientific labs and office boardrooms. In science, it is almost always used with 'into' or 'on.' For example, 'The steam condensed into droplets.' In professional settings, you might hear someone say, 'Please condense your report into one page.'
It is a fairly formal word. If you are talking to a friend, you might say 'shorten' instead of 'condense' when talking about text, but 'condense' is the perfect word for scientific descriptions or formal summaries.
While 'condense' itself isn't the base of many idioms, it appears in phrases related to efficiency. 1. Condense down: To reduce to the essentials. 2. Condense the facts: To get straight to the point. 3. Condense into a nutshell: To summarize briefly. 4. Condense your thoughts: To organize ideas clearly. 5. Condense the narrative: To remove fluff from a story.
Condense is a regular verb. The past tense is condensed, and the present participle is condensing. The noun form is condensation.
Pronunciation: /kənˈdens/. The stress is on the second syllable. It rhymes with 'intense', 'defense', 'pretence', 'dispense', and 'immense'. Practice saying it by emphasizing the 'dens' part!
Fun Fact
It shares a root with 'dense'.
Pronunciation Guide
clear 'con' and 'dense'
similar to UK
Common Errors
- stressing first syllable
- mispronouncing 's' as 'z'
- swallowing the 'n'
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
easy
easy
easy
easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
고급
Grammar to Know
Transitive Verbs
I condensed it.
Past Participle as Adjective
The condensed report.
Imperative Mood
Condense this now!
Examples by Level
The steam will condense.
steam becomes water
future tense
Please condense your notes.
The air condensed on the glass.
I condensed the long book.
Gas can condense into liquid.
Can you condense this text?
The cold air made it condense.
We need to condense the data.
He condensed his speech.
The report was condensed for the board.
Water vapor condenses on cold surfaces.
Try to condense your argument into one sentence.
The writer condensed years of history into one chapter.
Cold air causes moisture to condense.
We condensed the training session.
She condensed her life story into a poem.
The gas condensed under high pressure.
The editor condensed the article to fit the space.
He managed to condense his complex theory into a simple metaphor.
The morning dew condensed on the leaves.
We must condense our strategy into a few key points.
The film condenses the novel's plot significantly.
Her anger seemed to condense into a single look.
The liquid condensed as it cooled.
They condensed the entire workshop into a two-hour seminar.
The author masterfully condensed a lifetime of struggle into a few poignant pages.
As the temperature dropped, the atmosphere condensed into a thick fog.
The consultant condensed the findings into a concise executive summary.
He condensed his philosophy into a single, powerful aphorism.
The essence of the movement was condensed into a single slogan.
The cooling system helps to condense the refrigerant.
She condensed the sprawling data set into a clear chart.
The plot was condensed to increase the tension.
The poet condensed the vastness of human experience into a brief, evocative stanza.
The vaporized metal condensed back onto the surface of the plate.
The entire history of the conflict was condensed into a brief, objective report.
He condensed his argument to its most potent, irrefutable form.
The cooling process allows the chemical to condense efficiently.
The narrative was condensed, stripping away all unnecessary subplots.
Her thoughts seemed to condense into a sudden realization.
The essence of the era was condensed into a single photograph.
동의어
반의어
자주 쓰는 조합
Idioms & Expressions
"in a nutshell"
briefly
Here it is in a nutshell.
casual"cut to the chase"
get to the point
Let's cut to the chase.
casual"get to the point"
be concise
Please get to the point.
neutral"boil down to"
the essential part
It boils down to this.
neutral"make a long story short"
summarize
To make a long story short...
casualEasily Confused
similar sound
condone is to forgive, condense is to shorten
I don't condone this; please condense it.
similar root
concentrate is to focus or make stronger
Concentrate your effort; condense your text.
similar meaning
contract is to shrink in size physically
The metal contracts; the text condenses.
similar meaning
compress is to squeeze by force
Compress the air; condense the vapor.
Sentence Patterns
Please condense [text] into [format].
Please condense the report into one page.
The gas condensed into [liquid].
The gas condensed into water.
I need to condense [task].
I need to condense my notes.
It is helpful to condense [idea].
It is helpful to condense the theory.
The [subject] condensed on the [surface].
The dew condensed on the grass.
어휘 가족
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
관련
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
자주 하는 실수
They sound similar but mean totally different things.
Condense implies a change of state or length.
Condense is usually transitive.
Condense is the verb.
It ends in -nse.
Tips
The Sponge Trick
Imagine a sponge holding all your words; squeeze it to condense.
Scientific Context
Always use 'condense' for water on windows.
Academic Writing
Teachers love the word 'condense' for summaries.
Verb Patterns
Use 'condense into' for state changes.
Stress the Second
Always stress the second syllable.
Don't confuse with Condone
Condone means to allow; condense means to shorten.
Root Word
It comes from Latin for 'thick'.
Summarize Daily
Try to condense your day into one sentence.
Business
Use it to ask for short reports.
Past Tense
Remember the 'd' at the end: condensed.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
CON-DENSE: CONcentrate and make it DENSE.
Visual Association
A sponge being squeezed.
Word Web
챌린지
Condense your morning routine into 3 words.
어원
Latin
Original meaning: to make thick
문화적 맥락
None.
Used in school settings for writing and science.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
School
- condense the essay
- condense the research
Science Lab
- vapor condenses
- condense into liquid
Office
- condense the report
- condense the meeting notes
Writing
- condense the plot
- condense the narrative
Conversation Starters
"How do you condense your notes for an exam?"
"Have you ever seen water condense on a window?"
"Why is it important to condense long emails?"
"Can you condense your life story into one sentence?"
"What is the best way to condense a long book?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you had to condense a lot of information.
Explain the process of condensation in your own words.
Why do people prefer condensed versions of news?
Write a short paragraph and then condense it.
자주 묻는 질문
8 질문No, it is a verb.
Condensation.
Usually for text or physical things.
Yes, fairly formal.
Similar, but compress is more about physical pressure.
kən-DENS.
No, usually gas to liquid.
Yes, in academic settings.
셀프 테스트
The steam will ___ on the glass.
Scientific term for gas to liquid.
Which means to make shorter?
Condense means to make compact.
Condense is a noun.
It is a verb.
Word
뜻
Synonym match.
Imperative sentence structure.
점수: /5
Summary
Condense is the perfect word for making things smaller, whether it is steam turning into water or a long story becoming a short summary.
- Means to make shorter or denser.
- Used for gas turning to liquid.
- Used for summarizing text.
- Pronounced kən-DENS.
The Sponge Trick
Imagine a sponge holding all your words; squeeze it to condense.
Scientific Context
Always use 'condense' for water on windows.
Academic Writing
Teachers love the word 'condense' for summaries.
Verb Patterns
Use 'condense into' for state changes.
예시
There is condensation on the window today.
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