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

Biodegradable silks can be made hydrophilic or hydrophobic depending on the application, and Spiber has overcome the initial shrinkage problem in silk fibers using amino acid modification. —Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026

Lower temperatures reduce fiber stress, color fading and shrinkage, helping garments maintain their shape and appearance longer. —Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2026

The report estimated that a fiscal contraction equivalent to 5% of GDP could reverse modest growth into a 3% economic shrinkage. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026

Both the washing machine and dryer can warp your clothes, leading to distortion and shrinkage. —Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 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