shrinking 1 of 3

present participle of shrink
1
2
3

shrinking

2 of 3

adjective

shrinking

3 of 3

noun

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shrinking
Adjective
Perone warned that with federal funding for social services shrinking, older adults’ needs are only going to keep growing, and without new support from governments or nonprofits, local resources may not be enough. Panashe Matemba-Mutasa, Mercury News, 12 Oct. 2025 Yet even as detox numbers improve, the number of outreach workers countywide able to connect people to services is at risk of shrinking. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2025 Among the consequences will be a shrinking of the civic arena, which could create an opening for nondemocratic actors such as China and Russia to expand their regional influence. Omar G. Encarnación, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2025 The bigger obstacles are the shrinking of the federal forest workforce over the past two decades, the low commercial value of the small trees and brush that need to be removed, and the lack of contractors, processing facilities and markets for low-value wood. Tony Cheng, Space.com, 24 Sep. 2025 This fabric can maintain its structure without deforming, shrinking, or melting. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2025 The industry is in a precarious place right now because of the contraction and the shrinking of the industry — less product, less money to go around — so that especially affects indies. Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025 The bigger obstacles are the shrinking of the federal forest workforce over the past two decades, the low commercial value of the small trees and brush that need to be removed, and the lack of contractors, processing facilities and markets for low-value wood. Tony Cheng, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2025 The simplest single-layer crust requires a bit of know-how and finesse to prevent shrinking, slumping, toughness, or worst of all, sogginess. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
Supporters argue that downstate residents have been politically sidelined for decades — victims of a system that concentrates power and money in Chicago while rural communities struggle with job losses, rising taxes, and shrinking populations. Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025 Following a young woman navigating life after growing up in an orphanage, the film transforms her shrinking apartment into a dreamlike maze of memory and loss, using striking visual metaphors to explore belonging, self-worth, and the fragile hope of starting over. Essie Assibu, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025 Next steps include making the vine robot remote-controlled or autonomous, as well as shrinking it further to reach even narrower spaces. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025 That’s because the independent garden center industry is shrinking as big-box stores such as Home Depot continue to increase their foothold on the market. Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 16 Oct. 2025 Build strategy on a shrinking labor base and a thinning middle class, and even the smartest models will optimize you into a smaller future. Katica Roy, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025 Further, legislators have decided that school districts must pay for busing for students who attend private schools while the students who attend public schools in those districts do without due to shrinking funding from Ohio. Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Oct. 2025 Kentucky's largest school system is shrinking, with the latest enrollment numbers showing Jefferson County Public School leaders slightly overestimated how many students would show up for school this fall. Krista Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Oct. 2025 The country’s declining birthrate means a shrinking workforce saddled with supporting a swelling elderly population. Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrinking
Verb
  • Multiverse’s core business is compressing open-source LLMs with such extreme shrinkage that most of its versions can run on CPUs, or central processing units, of the kind used in smartphones and regular computers, rather than GPUs, or graphics processing units.
    Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
  • This set is crafted out of a durable ripstop nylon material that’s squishy and flexible and works great at compressing even bulkier clothing like sweaters and jeans.
    Asia London Palomba, Travel + Leisure, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Americans are recoiling from the Democratic Party, and even in blue states like Colorado, Democrats are feeling the burn.
    The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 16 Sep. 2025
  • And the supporters who responded to his complaints about overzealous Democrats aren’t recoiling.
    Jonathan J. Cooper, Twin Cities, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • High pressure will build in behind the storm, resulting in dry weather and decreasing winds.
    Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Moreover, parlay bets are getting more complicated as time goes on, decreasing the chances of winning.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • For its part, Beijing remained defiant, with the commerce ministry saying Sunday that China doesn’t want a tariff war but is also not afraid of one.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Those in the fanbase who wanted Lewis gone four weeks ago are now afraid to lose him.
    Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The move follows widespread public revulsion over the attacks in the UK.
    Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Meanwhile, voices on the left responded with revulsion.
    Andrew R. Chow, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Volpe was a focus of both media sessions, as Boone and Cashman detailed the extent of his shoulder problem and were both asked why the team stuck with him as the everyday shortstop despite the injury and his diminishing play.
    Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Organizations with a poor data foundation see diminishing returns from technology investments, while those with superior data infrastructure experience accelerating returns.
    Tammy Hawes, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Remove jewelry or constricting clothing quickly, before any swelling begins.
    Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Relationships that feel financially or emotionally constricting may feel harder to ignore now.
    Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Ross passed the day's examination with flying colors – barely flinching at the rubber chicken.
    Laura L. Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Skubal, apparently flinching with the noise, balked for only the second time in his career.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shrinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrinking. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on shrinking

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!