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

• abatement
• decline
• decrease
• decrement
• dent
• depletion
• depression
• diminishment
• diminution
• drop
• drop-off
• fall
• falloff
• loss
• reduction
• step-down

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

There is always the option, of course, of letting your afro free but that’s tantamount to surrendering your summer to long detangling sessions and the ever-looming threat of shrinkage. —Tracy Achonwa, Vogue, 22 July 2024

Lay-offs, retirements, industrial outsourcing and the trend away from trade schools and toward college also contributed to labor and supply chain shrinkage. —Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2024

The research found that of glacier shrinkage in the area were five times faster from 2015 to 2019 than from 1948 to 1979. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 12 July 2024

Over 200 people bought one in the past month, and many shoppers recommend sizing up to account for possible post-wash shrinkage. —Esme Benjamin, Peoplemag, 5 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

shrinkage

noun

shrink·​age ˈshriŋ-kij 

: the amount by which something shrinks or becomes less