plural shrimp or shrimps
1
: any of numerous mostly small and marine decapod crustaceans (suborders Dendrobranchiata and Pleocyemata) having a slender elongated body, a compressed abdomen, and a long spiny rostrum and including some (especially family Penaeidae) that are commercially important as food
also
: a small crustacean (such as an amphipod or a branchiopod) resembling the true shrimp
2
usually disparaging
: a very small or puny person or thing
Synonyms
Examples of shrimp in a Sentence
Noun
He's a little shrimp of a boy.
the boy was just a shrimp until his teens, when he had a growth spurt
Recent Examples on the Web
Janelle Davis, CNN, 7 Feb. 2023
Brine shrimp are a critical food source for the aquaculture industry.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 21 Jan. 2023
See all Example Sentences for shrimp 
Noun
Pour the sauce over and gently toss with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the shrimp and avocado are thoroughly coated.
—Janelle Davis, CNN, 7 Feb. 2023
Brine shrimp are a critical food source for the aquaculture industry.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 21 Jan. 2023
See all Example Sentences for shrimp
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shrimp.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Shrimp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrimp. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shrimp
1 of 2 noun
plural shrimps or shrimp
1
: any of numerous small mostly marine shellfish that are crustaceans related to the lobsters, that have a long slender body, an abdomen that is very thin from side to side, and long legs, and that include some important as food
2
: a very small or unimportant person or thing
shrimp
2 of 2 verb
: to fish for or catch shrimps
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