1 B1 neutral
To fail suddenly because of a short circuit in an electrical system
"The old wiring in the basement shorted out during the rainstorm."
short out
B1 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To fail suddenly due to an electrical short circuit
In plain English
To stop working because electricity goes the wrong way inside something
What does "short out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To cause an electrical device to fail by creating a short circuit
"Spilling coffee on the keyboard completely shorted out the laptop."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To create a short circuit — fairly transparent in an electrical context
Actually means
To stop working because electricity goes the wrong way inside something
Usage tip
Used in electrical and technical contexts. Can be intransitive ('the motor shorted out') or transitive ('the water shorted out the motor'). Common in everyday speech when electrical appliances fail unexpectedly.
Words that pair with "short out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
circuit fuse motor wiring device phone panel
How to conjugate "short out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
short out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
shorts out
he/she/it
Past simple
shorted out
yesterday
Past participle
shorted out
have + pp
-ing form
shorting out
continuous
Hear "short out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "short out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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