variants
or shrunk
1
as in compressed
to become smaller in size or volume through the drawing together of particles of matter
the sweater will shrink a little when washed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in recoiled
to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust
shrinking back from the approaching flames
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in decreased
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
his crush on her is likely to shrink after they start their new lives on different college campuses
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shrank
As the Spurs lead shrunk, the roar of the crowd inside MSG raged.
—
Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 11 June 2026
Caffeine boosted cycling power output at first, but the advantage steadily shrank, and by the second and third weeks the same dose produced a smaller performance benefit.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
By July 7, the competition will have shrunk to 16 teams, which is when host cities could see influxes of last-minute foreign arrivals.
—Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
The gender-neutral short form performer category, always one of the smallest on the ballot, shrank to 11 submissions from 27.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 June 2026
The area’s vacancy rate, already at a historic high, kept climbing in 2025 as office users shrank their spaces or moved to the West Loop or Fulton Market.
—Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026
Prices have steadily climbed as the cattle herd shrank to its lowest levels in 75 years, while the prospects for rebuilding supplies have deteriorated in recent weeks.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
Resignations, retirements and contract nonrenewals have further shrunk the workforce.
—Candice Johnson, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Instead, what was initially announced as a twelve person group of original Islanders shrunk by two.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 11 June 2026
Caffeine boosted cycling power output at first, but the advantage steadily shrank, and by the second and third weeks the same dose produced a smaller performance benefit.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
By July 7, the competition will have shrunk to 16 teams, which is when host cities could see influxes of last-minute foreign arrivals.
—Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
The gender-neutral short form performer category, always one of the smallest on the ballot, shrank to 11 submissions from 27.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 June 2026
The area’s vacancy rate, already at a historic high, kept climbing in 2025 as office users shrank their spaces or moved to the West Loop or Fulton Market.
—Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026
Prices have steadily climbed as the cattle herd shrank to its lowest levels in 75 years, while the prospects for rebuilding supplies have deteriorated in recent weeks.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
Resignations, retirements and contract nonrenewals have further shrunk the workforce.
—Candice Johnson, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Instead, what was initially announced as a twelve person group of original Islanders shrunk by two.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrank
Verb
-
The Wall Street firm is warning investors to be increasingly mindful of valuation risk for the stock market as a whole, where leadership is highly concentrated, artificial-intelligence spending is unprecedented and the equity risk premium is compressed to near historic levels.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
10 June 2026
-
Bain said following Thursday’s heat, an offshore jetstream flow that has compressed the marine layer and the Bay Area’s natural coolness will give way to the usual onshore flow.—
Rick Hurd,
Mercury News,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
And when the Walmart collaboration arrived in 2007 — a full collection at twenty dollars and under — the industry recoiled once again.—
Jeetendr Sehdev,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
Classmates said that Pappin resented liberal elites but also recoiled from egalitarianism, instead craving the coronation of elites in his own image—ones sharing his commitments to Catholicism, monarchism, and medievalism.—
Isaac Stanley-Becker,
The Atlantic,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Parents should quickly seek medical care for an infant who has difficulty swallowing, poor feeding, loss of head control or decreased facial expression, the CDC said.—
Melody Petersen,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
-
Symptoms of infant botulism can take several weeks to start, according to the CDC, but may include constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control, difficulty swallowing and decreased facial expression.—
Sara Moniuszko,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
11 June 2026
-
This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.—
Joelle Goldstein,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
The moose flinched and stiffened.—
Fred Bear,
Outdoor Life,
11 June 2026
-
The executive producer and star points to earlier moments in the season, like when Ruben flinched at the sight of his dad through his bedroom window.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Haas wasn't sure what disease could have felled a buck so clearly in its prime.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
4 Dec. 2025
-
Yet Christine’s fate took a devastating turn when her father died, her husband was felled by the plague a year later.—
Diana Arterian,
Literary Hub,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
On May 9, 1873—Black Friday—stocks collapsed, and fights broke out on the floor of the exchange, which was forced to close.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
Hundreds of people including athletes and politicians were at Jet Set when the roof collapsed, attending a concert by singer Rubby Pérez, who was among the victims.—
Martín Adames,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Even some on the right have winced at the politics.—
Newsweek Editors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Dec. 2025
-
Tez Johnson caught a TD pass from Mayfield, who winced in pain after the throw.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shrank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrank. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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