shrink

¹shrink

verb
\ˈshriŋk, especially Southern ˈsriŋk\

shrank\ˈshraŋk, ˈsraŋk\ or shrunk\ˈshrəŋk, ˈsrəŋk\shrunk or shrunk·en\ˈshrəŋ-kən, ˈsrəŋ-\shrink·ing

Definition of SHRINK

intransitive verb

1

: to contract or curl up the body or part of it : huddle, cower

2

a : to contract to less extent or compass b : to become smaller or more compacted c : to lose substance or weight d : to lessen in value : dwindle

3

a : to recoil instinctively (as from something painful or horrible) <shrank from the challenge> b : to hold oneself back : refrain <did not shrink from telling the truth>

transitive verb

: to cause to contract or shrink; specifically : to compact (cloth) by causing to contract when subjected to washing, boiling, steaming, or other processes

— shrink·able \ˈshriŋ-kə-bəl, ˈsriŋ-\ adjective

— shrink·er noun

Examples of SHRINK

1. The sweater shrank when it was washed.
2. Meat shrinks as it cooks.
3. The town's population shrank during the war.
4. Hot water shrank the sweater.
5. The treatment should shrink the tumor.
6. He shrank in horror when he saw the dead cat.

Origin of SHRINK

Middle English, from Old English scrincan; akin to Middle Dutch schrinken to draw back

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to SHRINK

Synonyms: compress, condense, constrict, contract

Antonyms: balloon, expand, snowball, swell

Related Words: collapse, deflate, flatten; dry up, shrivel, wilt, wither; abate, decrease, diminish, dwindle, lessen; recede, retreat, withdraw

Near Antonyms: accumulate, grow, increase; balloon, inflate, puff (up)

see all synonyms and antonyms

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See Synonym Discussion at contract, recoil

Rhymes with SHRINK

blink, brink, chink, clink, dink, drink, fink, gink, ink, jink, kink, link, mink, pink, plink, prink, rink, sink, skink, slink, stink, swink, sync, think, wink, zinc