condense
gb/kəndˈɛns/ us/kəndˈɛns/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
shorten information while preserving meaning
To make writing, speech, or information shorter but keep the main ideas.
Usage pattern:
condense [text/information] into [a shorter form]
Common mistake:
Condense means make shorter; it does not necessarily mean make simpler or easier to understand.
Synonyms
summarize (focuses on giving the main points)
|
shorten (more general and less focused on keeping the main ideas)
|
abridge (more formal, often used for books or texts)
|
compress (emphasizes reducing length or size)
Antonyms
expand (make longer or add more information)
|
elaborate (add explanation, detail, or examples)
Collocations
condense a report
|condense an article
|condense a speech
|condense an argument
|condense a proposal
|condense information
|condense notes
|condense material
|condense into a paragraph
|a condensed summary
Themes
communication
|writing
|education
|business
Examples
- Can you condense your proposal into a one-page summary?
- The editor condensed the interview without changing its meaning.
- The course notes were condensed into a short revision guide.
Learner examples
- Please condense the report.
- She condensed the story into five sentences.
Verb
B2
action
2
make smaller or more concentrated
To make something take less space or time, or make it stronger or thicker by reducing it.
Usage pattern:
condense [something] into [a smaller space/time/form]
Common mistake:
For computer files, compress a file is much more common than condense a file.
Synonyms
compress (often physical or technical; suggests pressing into less space)
|
concentrate (emphasizes making a liquid or substance stronger)
|
reduce (general word for making smaller, especially in cooking)
|
compact (emphasizes packing closely together)
Antonyms
expand (increase in size, space, or scope)
|
dilute (make a liquid less concentrated)
|
stretch out (make something last longer in time)
Collocations
condense a schedule
|condense a course
|condense a program
|condense a timeline
|condense into one day
|condense milk
|condense a liquid
|condense a mixture
|condense into a smaller space
|condense the layout
Themes
organization
|time
|space
|food
|manufacturing
Examples
- The organizers condensed the three-day workshop into two long sessions.
- The factory condenses milk by removing much of the water.
- They condensed the layout so the chart would fit on one page.
Learner examples
- They condensed the class into one day.
- The milk is condensed to make it thicker.
Verb
B2
process
3
turn vapor into liquid
When steam or another gas condenses, it cools and becomes liquid.
Usage pattern:
[gas/vapor] condenses; [something] condenses [gas/vapor] into [liquid]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse condense with evaporate: condense means gas becomes liquid; evaporate means liquid becomes gas.
Synonyms
liquefy (more technical; means become or make liquid)
|
turn to liquid (plain everyday explanation)
|
coalesce (suggests small drops coming together, not always a gas-to-liquid change)
Antonyms
evaporate (change from liquid into gas)
|
vaporize (become or make something become vapor)
Collocations
water vapor condenses
|steam condenses
|moisture condenses
|condense on glass
|condense on a surface
|condense into droplets
|condense into liquid
|condense in the atmosphere
|condense the vapor
|condense back into water
Themes
science
|weather
|chemistry
|physics
Examples
- When warm air hits the cold window, moisture condenses on the glass.
- Steam from the shower condensed into droplets on the mirror.
- The cooling system condenses the vapor back into liquid.
Learner examples
- Steam condenses on the mirror.
- Gas condenses when it gets cold.
Grammar
Dictionary form
condense
IPA
GB/kəndˈɛns/
US/kəndˈɛns/
Syllables & stress
con - dense (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (dense)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: condense
- 3rd Person Singular: condenses
- Present Participle: condensing
- Past: condensed
Expressions
condense out
1/kəndˈɛns ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
technical
separate as condensed liquid
When liquid condenses out of a gas, it appears and separates as the gas cools.
Examples
- As the exhaust cooled, water condensed out of the gas stream.
- Moisture can condense out of the air inside the pipe.
- During the process, some impurities condense out and collect in the trap.
condensed milk
1/kəndˈɛnst mˈɪlk/
fixed phrase
thick sweet canned milk
Thick, very sweet milk used in cooking, desserts, and some drinks.
Examples
- The recipe calls for a can of condensed milk.
- She poured condensed milk over the shaved ice.
- Vietnamese coffee is often made with strong coffee and condensed milk.
condensed soup
1/kəndˈɛnst sˈup/
fixed phrase
concentrated soup for diluting
Thick soup that you usually add water or milk to before eating.
Examples
- The casserole is made with condensed mushroom soup.
- Add one can of water to the condensed soup before heating it.
- Condensed tomato soup is a common pantry item in many North American kitchens.