as in afraid
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1
as in revulsion
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2
as in diminishing
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1
as in compressing
to become smaller in size or volume through the drawing together of particles of matter
the sweater will shrink a little when washed
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in recoiling
to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust
shrinking back from the approaching flames
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3
as in decreasing
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
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Recent Examples of shrinking
Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 15 Jan. 2026
Anton L. Delgado, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
The shrinking world As birth rates fall, the shrinking of a nation’s population is often worrisome for political elites, who tend to see a large population as a source of power.
—John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
For desperate countries in Asia the opportunity is short-lived and shrinking, said Muyu Xu, a senior crude oil analyst at the global trade data firm Kpler.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Advertisement The expansion of oil drilling has been made possible by the shrinking of sea ice, which is occurring fastest in the Barents Sea.
—Tom Yulsman, Time, 23 Feb. 2026
Dry on low heat and remove promptly to keep sheets soft and prevent shrinking.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 22 Feb. 2026
Heat can melt the synthetic fibers, causing shrinking, curling, and the fusing of the fibers.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026
During the same period, union membership declined, the Democratic Party abandoned its working-class base, and both parties presided over the shrinking of the middle class.
—Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
Are your balances growing or shrinking?
—Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2026
As women’s earning power grows, their tolerance for an unequal domestic arrangement is shrinking.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
Cash may still carry symbolic weight, but its everyday role is shrinking.
—Sam Stevenson, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
But many of the governor’s fellow Democrats in the legislature and progressive advocacy groups counter that Connecticut should secure more funding to safeguard programs against dramatically shrinking federal aid.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026
Dallas city leaders delivered a stark assessment Wednesday of the city's housing conditions, citing rising rents, growing eviction rates, and shrinking pathways to homeownership.
—Steve Pickett, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
China and India gained early access to Russian crude and maintain strategic reserves, while the opportunity for other nations to buy is rapidly shrinking.
—Anton L. Delgado, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
The shrinking world As birth rates fall, the shrinking of a nation’s population is often worrisome for political elites, who tend to see a large population as a source of power.
—John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
Even as documentary producers warn of tightening financing and shrinking commissioning budgets, the pipeline of new films shows little sign of slowing.
—Lise Pedersen, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Re-wash and dry the garment, using these tips to avoid re-shrinking, to prevent a residue from the conditioner from setting.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 15 Jan. 2026
Noun
For desperate countries in Asia the opportunity is short-lived and shrinking, said Muyu Xu, a senior crude oil analyst at the global trade data firm Kpler.
—Anton L. Delgado, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
The shrinking world As birth rates fall, the shrinking of a nation’s population is often worrisome for political elites, who tend to see a large population as a source of power.
—John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
For desperate countries in Asia the opportunity is short-lived and shrinking, said Muyu Xu, a senior crude oil analyst at the global trade data firm Kpler.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Advertisement The expansion of oil drilling has been made possible by the shrinking of sea ice, which is occurring fastest in the Barents Sea.
—Tom Yulsman, Time, 23 Feb. 2026
Dry on low heat and remove promptly to keep sheets soft and prevent shrinking.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 22 Feb. 2026
Heat can melt the synthetic fibers, causing shrinking, curling, and the fusing of the fibers.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026
During the same period, union membership declined, the Democratic Party abandoned its working-class base, and both parties presided over the shrinking of the middle class.
—Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
Are your balances growing or shrinking?
—Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
In fact, on a recent trip to Florida, my blowout was undone within an hour of stepping outside, expanding in width and shrinking in length.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 1 Apr. 2026
As women’s earning power grows, their tolerance for an unequal domestic arrangement is shrinking.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
Cash may still carry symbolic weight, but its everyday role is shrinking.
—Sam Stevenson, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
But many of the governor’s fellow Democrats in the legislature and progressive advocacy groups counter that Connecticut should secure more funding to safeguard programs against dramatically shrinking federal aid.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026
Dallas city leaders delivered a stark assessment Wednesday of the city's housing conditions, citing rising rents, growing eviction rates, and shrinking pathways to homeownership.
—Steve Pickett, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
China and India gained early access to Russian crude and maintain strategic reserves, while the opportunity for other nations to buy is rapidly shrinking.
—Anton L. Delgado, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
The shrinking world As birth rates fall, the shrinking of a nation’s population is often worrisome for political elites, who tend to see a large population as a source of power.
—John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
Even as documentary producers warn of tightening financing and shrinking commissioning budgets, the pipeline of new films shows little sign of slowing.
—Lise Pedersen, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrinking
Adjective
-
Neither is too afraid of what the USMNT has in store for them, either.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Fairey was forthcoming about his opinions on art, politics and technology, drawing applause at one point for saying that using AI in art is not something to be afraid of.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Dahl’s revulsion at the violence committed in Israel’s name is at once comprehensible, in and of itself, and rooted in Dahl’s set of antisemitic beliefs.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The scene plays out as if the actors are politely averting their eyes while performing, without conjuring the deep moral revulsion Wolfe and LaChiusa might’ve intended.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Based on the diminishing returns of the Reading Challenge over the years (at this point, the Library needs to be shut down and defunded.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Pollsters began noting diminishing approval for LGBTQ legal protections.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Several people compressing the traditional learning curve.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Workers grew fungi on 12 tons of this otherwise useless waste, compressing and baking it into 925 blocks that were used to build a house.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Coinbase’s effort, filled with little nuances and created to emulate the experience of a videogame, might have people welcoming another look rather than recoiling at seeing the spot for the 15th time in a period of just a few days.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Then, as things dragged on, Goldberg could be seen recoiling and wincing in her chair — and, at one point, fully collapsing backward in protest.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Consumers can also look for savings at home by decreasing energy costs—for instance, by keeping the air conditioner at a higher temperature.—
Austin Carter,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Rather than decreasing the volume of betting, this restriction weakens legal operators by removing the clearest signals consumers have about which platforms are regulated and safe.—
Cláudia Nunes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Their smaller counterparts, alpacas, are more timid and shy, but the more independent ones that aren't afraid to be away from the herd do well as therapy animals.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Jerusalem, timid about the prospect of a land invasion, can only respond with more airstrikes until the regime hits its breaking point and the people rise up.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
David asks whether the country can find a way back from a dangerous moral and political impasse, as a majority of Americans recoil from these actions while a determined minority continue to defend them.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Fans recoil at the idea of betrayal.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shrinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrinking. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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