A written work may be abridged to make it more accessible to a wider audience; for example, to make an adaptation of it as an audio book or a television show, to make a more convenient companion to an already-established work or to create a shorter reference version. Unabridged is the opposite of abridged.

What does an abridged version mean?

abridged Add to list Share. An abridged version of a book is a shortened version: it's not complete because parts have been cut or omitted. Sometimes you have time to read all of something, but other times you don't. When you need to save time, you might need to look at an abridged version of a book.

Why are classics abridged?

Abridged classics expose children to the joys of great literature and enable them to appreciate their stories without struggling to understand words and concepts that are beyond their current reading and life abilities.