shrinkage

noun

shrink·​age ˈshriŋ-kij 

especially Southern ˈsriŋ-

1

: the act or process of shrinking

2

a

: the loss in weight of livestock during shipment and in the process of preparing the meat for consumption

b

: the loss of goods especially by theft

inventory shrinkage

3

: the amount lost by shrinkage

Synonyms of shrinkage

• decrease
• reduction
• dent
• decline
• drop

Examples of shrinkage in a Sentence

The shrinkage in contributions is significant.

a shrinkage of 10 percent

the shrinkage of the polar ice caps

Recent Examples on the Web

Two measures tied to Alzheimer’s progression, hippocampal shrinkage and ventricle expansion, worsened in the control group but held steady in the treatment group. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 13 July 2026

No area of the brain was spared from the shrinkage, but the change was especially pronounced in the optic lobes and the optic tract—the bundles of nerves that carry visual signals to the brain—with reductions of 52% and 62% respectively. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 9 July 2026

Furthering strength, by combining control of yarn tension with heat setting, the maker is able to reduce webbing shrinkage to 3 percent at 100 degrees Celsius. — Sarah Jones, Footwear News, 6 July 2026

True inflation is a monetary unit shrinkage, which the Fed cannot fight, making traditional economic theories like the Phillips Curve obsolete. — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for shrinkage

• linkage

Kids Definition

shrinkage

noun

shrink·​age ˈshriŋ-kij 

: the amount by which something shrinks or becomes less