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
The collapse of social and search traffic has shrunk its audiences, particularly at Business Insider, which has long relied on clicks.
—
Max Tani, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
The move blew a roughly billion-dollar hole in the organization's budget, and the fund to pay for shipments shrank.
—NPR, 7 Nov. 2025
Lake Tefé’s surface area decreased by 75%, while another lake, Badajós, shrunk by 92%.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative shrunk public-sector employment by more than 290,000 jobs—including federal employees and contractors, according to the report.
—Nino Paoli, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
For companies who have shrunk their senior teams, this C-suite contraction has been driven by several factors.
—Sarah Abbott, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Staffing levels shrunk amid rising violence and a nationwide trend of high turnover rates among officers.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 4 Nov. 2025
But then, with victory in sight, his gearbox failed, and by the final lap his lead had shrunk to just four seconds.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2025
The gap from first to the rest of the field shrunk ever-so-slightly last week.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2025
Max Tani, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
The move blew a roughly billion-dollar hole in the organization's budget, and the fund to pay for shipments shrank.
—NPR, 7 Nov. 2025
Lake Tefé’s surface area decreased by 75%, while another lake, Badajós, shrunk by 92%.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative shrunk public-sector employment by more than 290,000 jobs—including federal employees and contractors, according to the report.
—Nino Paoli, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
For companies who have shrunk their senior teams, this C-suite contraction has been driven by several factors.
—Sarah Abbott, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Staffing levels shrunk amid rising violence and a nationwide trend of high turnover rates among officers.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 4 Nov. 2025
But then, with victory in sight, his gearbox failed, and by the final lap his lead had shrunk to just four seconds.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2025
The gap from first to the rest of the field shrunk ever-so-slightly last week.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrank
Verb
-
Available pore space is diminished when roots fill it or the soil gets compressed as the soil particles break down over time and pack together.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The photograph of the plumbing was compressed, along with Max’s prompt, into a vector that captured its most important features.—
James Somers,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Blazy, a Parisian born and bred, recoiled from the claim.—
Nathan Heller,
Vogue,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Some recoiled at the launch and others quit their positions.—
Nick Penzenstadler,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Content licensing revenues decreased 27% to $59 million primarily due to the timing and availability of deliveries in the period.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The median sale price for detached homes remained flat at $650,000, while attached homes decreased by 3% to $388,220.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
His remarks have been edited and condensed.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
5 Nov. 2025
-
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Sharen Gibson, 72, never flinched.—
Barbara Bry,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Oct. 2025
-
But none of the band members ever flinched over the divide that formed over their pre- and post-Vheissu sound.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The at-bats were brief and uneventful, the opposite of the approach that carried Toronto to this stage and felled Snell in Game 1.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
-
That says a lot about the 2025 Red Sox, who were a top offensive team in many metrics, but were also felled by their bats in crucial spots throughout the year and postseason.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The sofa was so collapsed that getting up from it felt like core strength training.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
-
And then on Thursday, after most of the show had been written, a man collapsed in the Oval Office, generating an instantly meme-able photograph of the president staring into the camera, looking oblivious to efforts to revive the prone victim at stage left.—
Erik Adams,
The Atlantic,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Russell winced, remembering the backlash.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shrank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrank. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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