reduce vs shorten

reduce and shorten both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
reduce	No	No	Yes	No
shorten	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, shorten is a hyponym of reduce; that is, shorten is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than reduce:

reduce: cut down on; make a reduction in
shorten: make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration

As verbs, reduce and shorten are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of reduce include abbreviate, abridge, contract, cut, foreshorten.

As verbs, shorten is a hyponym of reduce; that is, shorten is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than reduce:

Other hyponyms of reduce include bowdlerise, bowdlerize, castrate, expurgate, concentrate, condense, digest.

reduce (verb)	shorten (verb)
take off weight	become short or shorter
cut down on; make a reduction in	make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration
narrow or limit	reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
cook until very little liquid is left	edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
to remove oxygen from a compound, or cause to react with hydrogen or form a hydride, or to undergo an increase in the number of electrons	make short or shorter
make smaller
reduce in size; reduce physically
make less complex
reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
lessen the strength or flavor of a solution or mixture
be cooked until very little liquid is left
be the essential element
destress and thus weaken a sound when pronouncing it
undergo meiosis
reposition (a broken bone after surgery) back to its normal site
lower in grade or rank or force somebody into an undignified situation
lessen and make more modest
simplify the form of a mathematical equation of expression by substituting one term for another
bring to humbler or weaker state or condition
put down by force or intimidation