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

Prostatic Atrophy Prostatic atrophy refers to the shrinkage or deterioration of the prostate gland. —Md Published, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025

The designer promotes it as being as soft as cashmere, but with no shrinkage. —Catherine Salfino, Sourcing Journal, 26 Sep. 2025

The loss of many units affiliated with the Latter-day Saints and conservative Christian churches was part of a broader shrinkage experienced by the Boy Scouts, which served more than 4 million boys in the 1970s. —Dave Smith, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2025

Shea butter and hyaluronic acid join coconut and Kalahari melon oils to add a surge of strand-softening hydration, minimizing shrinkage in the process. —Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 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