Synonyms of shrank

shrank

verb

variants or shrunk

past tense of shrink

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

• compressed
• decreased
• condensed
• collapsed
• constricted
• contracted
• flattened
• withdrew
• retreated
• diminished
• dwindled
• receded
• lessened
• shriveled
• withered
• dried up
• deflated
• abated
• wilted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• swelled
• expanded
• increased
• grew
• ballooned
• accumulated
• snowballed
• inflated
• puffed (up)
• ballooned

2

as in recoiled

to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust

shrinking back from the approaching flames

Synonyms & Similar Words

• recoiled
• flinched
• winced
• cringed
• shuddered
• trembled
• hesitated
• shook
• quailed
• blenched
• paled
• quivered
• retreated
• withdrew
• squinched
• blanched
• crouched
• receded
• quaked
• whitened
• faltered
• twitched
• jerked
• reeled
• wavered
• started
• retired

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• approached
• advanced
• faced
• confronted
• neared
• challenged
• defied
• bearded

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

• decreased
• fell
• diminished
• subsided
• eased
• declined
• vanished
• ebbed
• dwindled
• receded
• waned
• lessened
• lowered
• dropped (off)
• tapered
• relented
• weakened
• died (away or down or out)
• moderated
• palled
• drained (away)
• evaporated
• fell away
• tapered off
• abated
• remitted
• let up
• ratcheted (down)
• compressed
• phased down
• racheted (down)
• contracted
• de-escalated
• constricted
• slackened
• condensed
• collapsed
• alleviated
• faded (away)
• melted (away)
• slowed (down)
• sank
• relaxed
• petered (out)
• frittered (away)
• tailed (off)
• gave out
• flagged
• deflated
• caved (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increased
• grew
• rose
• built
• expanded
• swelled
• enlarged
• mounted
• intensified
• soared
• accumulated
• escalated
• appeared
• waxed
• picked up
• emerged
• ballooned
• mushroomed
• burgeoned
• snowballed
• showed up
• lengthened
• elongated
• distended
• blew up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shrank

And somewhere while building all of that, the ambition behind it shrank to fit a spreadsheet. — Jonathan Weeks, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

For years, many watched as their children’s worlds shrank to whatever destinations Mom or Dad had time to drive them, as kids’ use of traditional bicycles gradually declined. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026

Although the size of the deadly early July heat wave has shrunk significantly in the past day or so, dangerous heat still persists across portions of the South and West. — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 6 July 2026

Many large companies already have shrunk their offices or given up on downtown, including Deloitte and KPMG. — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

In college football, the NIL era has shrunk the gap between the top teams and the next tier of programs. — Chris Vannini, New York Times, 6 July 2026

Over the past few months, Russia’s territorial holdings in Ukraine actually shrank for the first time since August 2024, according to CSIS. — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 2 July 2026

Job postings shrank in industries such as healthcare, finance and tech, Tuesday’s report showed. — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 30 June 2026

Film industry titans like Polaroid and Kodak had shrunk dramatically from their heyday, becoming shells of their former selves. — Rotem Rozental, The Conversation, 29 June 2026