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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shrinking
Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 15 Jan. 2026
Megan I. Gannon, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
Choose cleaning methods based on fabric type to avoid damage or shrinking.
—Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 29 Apr. 2026
With irrigation shrinking and solar replacing crops, longtime farmworker Rosa Ramirez worries about disappearing jobs.
—Jeff St. John, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
Federal support for expanding early education funding is sparse and shrinking.
—Moriah Balingit, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
Federal support for expanding early education funding is sparse and shrinking.
—Moriah Balingit, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Internal gas molecules radiate heat away, enabling further shrinking.
—Big Think, 20 Apr. 2026
That included shrinking who could query the 702 database and requiring sign-off from a superior before reviewing any information collected on Americans.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 15 Apr. 2026
Anything worse than another Rory round in the 60s would have resulted in his lead shrinking, and a wobbly Saturday was certain to shrink the gap further.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
For years, Warsh has stated repeatedly that the Fed must reduce its footprint in financial markets by shrinking the balance sheet to allow central bankers to primarily rely on their traditional tool — their key interest rate — to fight high inflation and high unemployment.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
Now positioned as its own corporate division, the sports outlet has long been held close despite frequent speculation about its cost profile and shrinking subscriber base.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 13 May 2026
Some research also suggests the number of people likely to overdose has been shrinking, as fewer teens take up drugs and many illicit drug users have died.
—Mike Stobbe, Fortune, 13 May 2026
Ramberg/Getty Images Household budgets are under significant pressure right now, with millions of Americans trying to juggle stubborn (and now rising) living costs and shrinking financial cushions thanks to their rising credit card debt.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 6 May 2026
The shrinking number of shares in the investable universe has been one of the pillars of recent bull markets.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 6 May 2026
As more Americans take weight-loss medications such as Ozempic, appetites are shrinking.
—Khloe Quill , Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
California’s declining oil production and shrinking refining capacity have left the state dependent on imports for three-quarters of its crude oil, with few viable alternatives.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 May 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
More acute episodes of shrinking have been documented since 2000.
—Megan I. Gannon, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
Choose cleaning methods based on fabric type to avoid damage or shrinking.
—Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 29 Apr. 2026
With irrigation shrinking and solar replacing crops, longtime farmworker Rosa Ramirez worries about disappearing jobs.
—Jeff St. John, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
Federal support for expanding early education funding is sparse and shrinking.
—Moriah Balingit, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
Federal support for expanding early education funding is sparse and shrinking.
—Moriah Balingit, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Internal gas molecules radiate heat away, enabling further shrinking.
—Big Think, 20 Apr. 2026
That included shrinking who could query the 702 database and requiring sign-off from a superior before reviewing any information collected on Americans.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 15 Apr. 2026
Anything worse than another Rory round in the 60s would have resulted in his lead shrinking, and a wobbly Saturday was certain to shrink the gap further.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Verb
The newest data fits a trend, alongside news that Chicago once again has the country’s busiest airfield and is a top tourist destination, disproving the narrative that the city is shrinking, said Erin Connelly, communication director for Mayor Brandon Johnson.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
For years, Warsh has stated repeatedly that the Fed must reduce its footprint in financial markets by shrinking the balance sheet to allow central bankers to primarily rely on their traditional tool — their key interest rate — to fight high inflation and high unemployment.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
Now positioned as its own corporate division, the sports outlet has long been held close despite frequent speculation about its cost profile and shrinking subscriber base.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 13 May 2026
Some research also suggests the number of people likely to overdose has been shrinking, as fewer teens take up drugs and many illicit drug users have died.
—Mike Stobbe, Fortune, 13 May 2026
Ramberg/Getty Images Household budgets are under significant pressure right now, with millions of Americans trying to juggle stubborn (and now rising) living costs and shrinking financial cushions thanks to their rising credit card debt.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 6 May 2026
The shrinking number of shares in the investable universe has been one of the pillars of recent bull markets.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 6 May 2026
As more Americans take weight-loss medications such as Ozempic, appetites are shrinking.
—Khloe Quill , Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
California’s declining oil production and shrinking refining capacity have left the state dependent on imports for three-quarters of its crude oil, with few viable alternatives.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrinking
Adjective
-
At the same time, a boy named Henry, who also had to evacuate, is afraid of dogs.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
-
Native to the Mediterranean, lavender is not afraid of the summer heat.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Watching Jackie read her profoundly scary tale, my reaction moved from curiosity to revulsion to fear… not of her, but of Michael.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 May 2026
-
But now many of those same factions are expressing open revulsion at the Iran war, rupturing relationships that were supposed to usher in a new international order.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
With Haliburton, the Pacers are set there, so protecting a pick further into the lottery had diminishing value for Indiana.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
The ability to comfortably live in California has become more difficult for the average resident, as the cost of living and the dollar's diminishing value have increased over the last year, said Theresa Rutherford, president of SEIU 1020.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Some of our favorite compression packing cubes on the market, these Bagsmart cubes free up to 60 percent extra packing space in your luggage by compressing the excess air out of your clothes.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
13 May 2026
-
Imagine taking a huge cloud of gas, and compressing much of that material down into just a few clumps that were much smaller in physical size.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
8 May 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
-
As chairman, Cassidy has had several clashes with the White House over confirmations, including for Kennedy due to his support for decreasing the number of vaccines children receive.—
Gabrielle M. Etzel,
The Washington Examiner,
13 May 2026
-
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announced an overall 4% decrease, and unsheltered homelessness decreasing by 22% since the 2024 count.—
Robin Epley,
Sacbee.com,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Your favorite team probably doesn’t use them much, if at all, because they’re considered extremely difficult and most GMs are timid babies who are afraid of getting yelled at.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
That bill is a direct response to a Supreme Court that handed the executive branch a dangerous blank check and a Congress too timid to push back.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Chinese state media said the robots can navigate difficult terrain and operate as stable mobile weapons platforms resistant to recoil and blast impacts.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
-
Critically, Michael doesn’t recoil when Jackie shares her horrific story.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shrinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrinking. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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