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shrink

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of shrink

1 to become smaller in size or volume through the drawing together of particles of matter

  • the sweater will shrink a little when washed
Synonyms of shrink

compress, condense, constrict, contract
Words Related to shrink

collapse, deflate, flatten

dry up, shrivel, wilt, wither

abate, decrease, diminish, dwindle, lessen

recede, retreat, withdraw
Near Antonyms of shrink

accumulate, grow, increase

balloon, inflate, puff (up)
Antonyms of shrink

balloon, expand, snowball, swell

2 to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust

  • shrinking back from the approaching flames
Synonyms of shrink

blench, cringe, flinch, quail, recoil, squinch, wince
Words Related to shrink

blanch, pale, whiten

quake, quiver, shake, shudder, tremble

crouch

jerk, start, twitch

recede, retire, retreat, withdraw

falter, hesitate, reel, waver
Near Antonyms of shrink

advance, approach, near

beard, challenge, confront, defy, face

3 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 of shrink

abate, de-escalate, decline, decrease, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, moderate, pall, phase down, ratchet (down) also rachet (down) , recede, relent, remit, subside, taper, taper off, wane
Words Related to shrink

compress, condense, constrict, contract

evaporate, fade (away), fritter (away), give out, melt (away), peter (out), tail (off), vanish

slacken, slow (down)

alleviate, relax

flag, sink, weaken

cave (in), collapse, deflate
Near Antonyms of shrink

appear, emerge, show up

blow up, distend, elongate, lengthen
Antonyms of shrink

accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon (also bourgeon), enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mount, mushroom, pick up, rise, snowball, soar, swell, wax

Synonym Discussion of shrink

contract, shrink, condense, compress, constrict, deflate mean to decrease in bulk or volume. contract applies to a drawing together of surfaces or particles or a reduction of area or length.
    • caused her muscles to contract
shrink implies a contracting or a loss of material and stresses a falling short of original dimensions.
    • the sweater will shrink when washed
condense implies a reducing of something homogeneous to greater compactness without significant loss of content.
    • condense the essay into a paragraph
compress implies a pressing into a small compass and definite shape usually against resistance.
    • compressed cotton into bales
constrict implies a tightening that reduces diameter.
    • the throat is constricted by a tight collar
deflate implies a contracting by reducing the internal pressure of contained air or gas.
    • deflate the balloon

Learn More about shrink

  1. See words that rhyme with shrink Dictionary: Definition of shrink Medical Dictionary: Definition of shrink Spanish Central: Translation of shrink Nglish: Translation of shrink for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of shrink for Arabic speakers

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