shrink

1 of 2

verb

ˈshriŋk How to pronounce shrink (audio)
 especially Southern  ˈsriŋk
shrank ˈshraŋk How to pronounce shrink (audio)
ˈsraŋk
or shrunk ˈshrəŋk How to pronounce shrink (audio)
ˈsrəŋk
; shrunk or shrunken ˈshrəŋ-kən How to pronounce shrink (audio)
ˈsrəŋ-
; shrinking

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
shrinkable adjective
shrinker noun

shrink

2 of 2

noun

1
: the act of shrinking
2
3
[short for headshrinker] : a clinical psychiatrist or psychologist
Choose the Right Synonym for shrink

contract, shrink, condense, compress, constrict, deflate mean to decrease in bulk or volume.

contract applies to a drawing together of surfaces or particles or a reduction of area or length.

caused her muscles to contract

shrink implies a contracting or a loss of material and stresses a falling short of original dimensions.

the sweater will shrink when washed

condense implies a reducing of something homogeneous to greater compactness without significant loss of content.

condense the essay into a paragraph

compress implies a pressing into a small compass and definite shape usually against resistance.

compressed cotton into bales

constrict implies a tightening that reduces diameter.

the throat is constricted by a tight collar

deflate implies a contracting by reducing the internal pressure of contained air or gas.

deflate the balloon

recoil, shrink, flinch, wince, blench, quail mean to draw back in fear or distaste.

recoil implies a start or movement away through shock, fear, or disgust.

recoiled at the suggestion of stealing

shrink suggests an instinctive recoil through sensitiveness, scrupulousness, or cowardice.

shrank from the unpleasant truth

flinch implies a failure to endure pain or face something dangerous or frightening with resolution.

faced her accusers without flinching

wince suggests a slight involuntary physical reaction (such as a start or recoiling).

winced in pain

blench implies fainthearted flinching.

stood their ground without blenching

quail suggests shrinking and cowering in fear.

quailed before the apparition

Examples of shrink in a Sentence

Verb The sweater shrank when it was washed. Meat shrinks as it cooks. The town's population shrank during the war. Hot water shrank the sweater. The treatment should shrink the tumor. He shrank in horror when he saw the dead cat. Noun He is seeing a shrink.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
How Long Do Employees Typically Stay? Data show the median job tenure is shrinking. William Arruda, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 Next, as the cheese reaches the temperature of water from a hot tap, the proteins within it start losing water, shrinking and softening. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2024
Noun
Their shrink rate — lost inventory as a percentage of sales — is their best estimate for items that go missing. Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 13 Sep. 2024 And so much for the old canard about how children of shrinks grow up to be emotional wrecks. Sigrid Nunez, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for shrink 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shrink.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shrink was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near shrink

Cite this Entry

“Shrink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrink. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

shrink

1 of 2 verb
shrank ˈshraŋk How to pronounce shrink (audio) or shrunk ˈshrəŋk How to pronounce shrink (audio) ; shrunk or shrunken ˈshrəŋ-kən How to pronounce shrink (audio) ; shrinking
1
: to curl up or withdraw in or as if in fear or pain
shrink in horror
2
: to make or become smaller
shrink cloth by washing
meat shrinks in cooking
shrinker noun

shrink

2 of 2 noun
slang

Medical Definition

shrink

noun
: a clinical psychiatrist or psychologist

called also headshrinker

More from Merriam-Webster on shrink

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