The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Epitomize \E*pit"o*mize\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Epitomized; p.
   pr. & vb. n. Epitomizing.]
   1. To make an epitome of; to shorten or abridge, as a writing
      or discourse; to reduce within a smaller space; as, to
      epitomize the works of Justin.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To diminish, as by cutting off something; to curtail; as,
      to epitomize words. [Obs.] --Addison.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

epitomize
    v 1: embody the essential characteristics of or be a typical
         example of; "The fugue typifies Bach's style of
         composition" [syn: typify, epitomize, epitomise]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

64 Moby Thesaurus words for "epitomize":
   abbreviate, abridge, abstract, bob, boil down, capsulize, clip,
   compress, condense, contract, crop, curtail, cut, cut back,
   cut down, cut off short, cut short, digest, dock, elide,
   emblematize, embody, exemplify, fit the pattern, foreshorten,
   illustrate, incarnate, incorporate, inventory, lead the way,
   mirror, mow, nip, nutshell, outline, personify, poll, pollard,
   prune, reap, recap, recapitulate, reduce, represent, retrench,
   set an example, set the pace, shave, shear, shorten, snub, stunt,
   sum, sum up, summarize, summate, symbolize, synopsize, tabulate,
   take in, telescope, trim, truncate, typify