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
Illia Smoliienko, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
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
Sarah Felbin, Allure, 20 May 2026
As Betty Boop became more popular, Natwick revised his design to swap the character’s floppy dog’s ears for bangle earrings and shrinking her nose.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
For the first time in three years, real wages (adjusted for inflation) are shrinking.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
Sackin declined to comment on what teams were growing or shrinking as a result of the shakeup.
—John Ruwitch, NPR, 20 May 2026
Nationwide enrollment in the Affordable Care Act health insurance marketplace could plummet by nearly 5 million people this year, shrinking the number of participants in the program by more than 20%, according to a new analysis from the healthcare research nonprofit KFF.
—ABC News, 19 May 2026
Already carrying wider spans of control and shrinking development support, a manager operating against an outdated role definition is doing something more draining than managing a heavy workload.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026
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
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
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
The logical result is a shrinking of entry-level roles—the positions whose responsibilities are the first to get automated.
—Illia Smoliienko, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
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
Verb
Tatcha’s silky gel formula transforms into a lush lather with a little water, shrinking the appearance of pores and laying the foundation for sunscreen and makeup or your nighttime skin-care routine.
—Sarah Felbin, Allure, 20 May 2026
As Betty Boop became more popular, Natwick revised his design to swap the character’s floppy dog’s ears for bangle earrings and shrinking her nose.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
For the first time in three years, real wages (adjusted for inflation) are shrinking.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
Sackin declined to comment on what teams were growing or shrinking as a result of the shakeup.
—John Ruwitch, NPR, 20 May 2026
Nationwide enrollment in the Affordable Care Act health insurance marketplace could plummet by nearly 5 million people this year, shrinking the number of participants in the program by more than 20%, according to a new analysis from the healthcare research nonprofit KFF.
—ABC News, 19 May 2026
Already carrying wider spans of control and shrinking development support, a manager operating against an outdated role definition is doing something more draining than managing a heavy workload.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrinking
Adjective
-
That said, Richie isn’t afraid to switch things up.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
19 May 2026
-
Zvyagintsev is not afraid of silence.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
19 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
-
His popularity’s decline was shaped partly by race, partly by our deep but uneven revulsion toward scandal involving children, and partly by a media ecosystem that devours spectacle.—
Steven Gray,
Time,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There is a limit to how many employees a company can lay off before seeing diminishing returns.—
David Trainer,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
Others point to their own skills diminishing.—
Jon Martindale,
PC Magazine,
15 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
-
The veterans didn't recoil from Normandy.—
Afdhel Aziz,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
Small unmanned ground vehicles often struggle with heavy weapon integration because missile recoil can damage suspension systems, electronics, or vehicle frames.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shrinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrinking. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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