shrink-wrap

verb

ˈshriŋk-ˌrap 

especially Southern ˈsriŋk-

shrink-wrapped; shrink-wrapping; shrink-wraps

transitive verb

: to wrap (something, such as a book or a piece of meat) in tough clear plastic film that is then shrunk (as by heating) to form a tightly fitting package

shrink-wrap noun

Examples of shrink-wrap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Data centers are increasingly shrink-wrapped around the hardware of their moment; in some cases, building anew can be more efficient than retrofitting for a changeover in chips, cooling systems and power demands. — Austyn Gaffney, Scientific American, 9 Sep. 2026

Subcontractors who delivered teak decking that's still shrink-wrapped in a corner. — Benjamin Maltby, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

This method follows the lead of thinner-skinned English cucumbers, which are shrink-wrapped in plastic. — Susan Hall Mahon, Southern Living, 8 June 2026

Humphrey said the game is plastic-free — not even shrink-wrapped. — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shrink-wrap

• bandgap
• bitmap
• blackcap
• blackstrap
• bootstrap
• burlap
• claptrap
• entrap
• foolscap
• kidnap
• kneecap
• madcap