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

Today, the variables have multiplied due to streaming, not to mention the ongoing shrinkage of the pay-TV bundle. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026

Generally, all wool blankets require air drying to prevent shrinkage or fraying, but take a look at the care instructions for safe measure. —Kristine Hansen, Architectural Digest, 8 Jan. 2026

By relying primarily on the rising edges of optical pulses, the system is robust against pulse-width variations caused by LED response characteristics, a phenomenon known as data-dependent pulse width shrinkage, as per the release. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 4 Jan. 2026

Avoid high heat that causes shrinkage and dry the sweater flat to prevent stretching. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 29 Dec. 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