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

• 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

Newsom also is pushing how California’s population shrinkage, which in the state’s history only happened under him, has ended. —John Seiler, Oc Register, 25 July 2025

Long-term deficiency causes epidermal shrinkage in mice, and in humans. —Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 30 June 2025

Question marks were raised over the impact on international or if there could be any shrinkage outside the States, and answers are not immediately forthcoming. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 13 June 2025

The quarterly shrinkage from January through March was the first drop in three years. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2025

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