shrinkage

shrink·age | \ ˈshriŋ-kij

How to pronounce shrinkage (audio)

, especially Southern ˈsriŋ- \

Definition of shrinkage

1 : the act or process of shrinking

2a : 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 & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about shrinkage

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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 Rory Stewart, a former minister for DFID who competed against Mr Johnson to lead the Conservatives last year, has bemoaned the shrinkage of the Foreign Office. — The Economist, "A Boris bombshell in Whitehall British diplomats and donors are told to merge," 20 June 2020 University College London researchers found that patients in critical care for organ failure saw roughly 18% muscle shrinkage in their quadriceps by day 10 in the ICU. — Cassidy Morrison, Washington Examiner, "Patients deal with lingering health issues upon discharge for COVID-19," 11 June 2020 One clue comes from the waves of cellular shrinkage and expansion—faster than any observed in other animals—that allow the animal’s tissue to switch rapidly from soft to stiff in order to absorb physical stress. — Emily Underwood, The Atlantic, "The Search for the World’s Simplest Animal," 8 June 2020 How Boeing and Airbus Plan to Survive as Coronavirus Reshapes Aviation No passenger carrier on the planet can escape the painful shrinkage that Covid-19 is imposing on the aviation industry. — Jon Sindreu, WSJ, "Among the Losers, Low-Cost Airlines May Lose Less," 18 May 2020 In human and animal studies, diets high in sugar and simple carbohydrates result in the shrinkage of the brain. — Natalie Meade, Quartz, "The key to good mental health in quarantine is in the food you eat," 24 Apr. 2020 If the unlikely worst-case scenarios play out and COVID-19 kills over 100,000 Americans plus millions more worldwide, the simple shrinkage of the labor force would reduce output for years. — Geoff Colvin, Fortune, "How the American economy can recover from the coronavirus pandemic," 20 Apr. 2020 This leads to shrinkage of the potato cells, which explains why the potato strips get smaller in length and diameter. — Svenja Lohner, Scientific American, "Make a Potato Shrink--with Saltwater," 9 Jan. 2020 The economic quarter now underway will most likely feature Great Depression-caliber shrinkage in economic activity. — Neil Irwin, New York Times, "Everything Is Awful. So Why Is the Stock Market Booming?," 10 Apr. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shrinkage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near shrinkage

shrinkage stope

Statistics for shrinkage

Last Updated

29 Jun 2020

Cite this Entry

“Shrinkage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrinkage. Accessed 2 Jul. 2020.

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