1
as in compresses
to become smaller in size or volume through the drawing together of particles of matter
the sweater will shrink a little when washed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in recoils
to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust
shrinking back from the approaching flames
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in decreases
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shrinks
Foundation and soil issues Charlotte sits in the Piedmont region, where red clay soil expands when wet and shrinks when dry.
—
Ryan Brennan
may 15, Charlotte Observer, 15 May 2026
Some CEOs see the increase in gas prices as an opportunity to steal more market share as the overall pie of restaurant spending shrinks.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 11 May 2026
The political middle shrinks The number of competitive congressional seats had already been shrinking, both a consequence of and a contributor to the nation's sharp political divide.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 11 May 2026
When things get tight, Finch usually shrinks the rotation.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 9 May 2026
That risk shrinks when having what feels an awful lot like a conversation with a chatbot.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
As sea ice shrinks and expands, the surface ocean warms or cools.
—Hannah Richter, Scientific American, 7 May 2026
When borrowing access shrinks, the impact is immediate and structural.
—Lola W. Brabham, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
As the life expectancy factor shrinks with age, retirees are required to withdraw a larger share of their balance each year, even when markets are down or a smaller distribution would otherwise make financial sense.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Ryan Brennan
may 15, Charlotte Observer, 15 May 2026
Some CEOs see the increase in gas prices as an opportunity to steal more market share as the overall pie of restaurant spending shrinks.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 11 May 2026
The political middle shrinks The number of competitive congressional seats had already been shrinking, both a consequence of and a contributor to the nation's sharp political divide.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 11 May 2026
When things get tight, Finch usually shrinks the rotation.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 9 May 2026
That risk shrinks when having what feels an awful lot like a conversation with a chatbot.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
As sea ice shrinks and expands, the surface ocean warms or cools.
—Hannah Richter, Scientific American, 7 May 2026
When borrowing access shrinks, the impact is immediate and structural.
—Lola W. Brabham, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
As the life expectancy factor shrinks with age, retirees are required to withdraw a larger share of their balance each year, even when markets are down or a smaller distribution would otherwise make financial sense.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrinks
Verb
-
The moment everyone sees it, the return compresses and disappears.—
Alexander Foster,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
But the window that Pawlikowski chooses for Fatherland is defiantly compact, a stretch of time that the director compresses even more to place the suicide of Erika’s brother Klaus, which happened in the south of France two months before, within the space of the trip.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
While JoAnne recoils from Duncan’s machinations, her son Orson finally bottoms out in the supplement pit of the manosphere.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
17 May 2026
-
Anaia recoils from this request, but Racine is fully up for the mission.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
This risk decreases as the storm moves away.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
11 May 2026
-
As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The coldness of the water constricts arteries, requiring the heart to work harder than normal to function.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2026
-
This means giving up the exalted and exaggerated idea of the West that boosts a masculinist self-image but severely constricts thought and feeling.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
DiVincenzo never flinches at adversity.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Lubezki’s camera gets close to the action and never flinches, which underscores Iñarritu’s commitment to excessive mayhem at every turn.—
Eric Kohn,
IndieWire,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Davis has either tuned out or somehow remained oblivious to any fan sentiment that diminishes the magnitude of his home run because of what unfolded after it.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
If the College Football Playoff expands, the urgency of the regular season diminishes by comparison, and in a sport that had, inarguably, the greatest regular season in sports, that's a huge blow.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Cold water from depths of up to about 3,280 feet then condenses the vapor back into liquid, allowing the cycle to repeat and generate electricity continuously.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Refrigerator coils are full of hot refrigerant that condenses into liquid, releasing heat into your kitchen.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The burger contains two one-pound patties, 10 pieces of bacon, two layers of mushrooms (Beard winces at the thought of mushrooms), two layers of blue cheese crumbles and Swiss cheese, mayonnaise, tomato and lettuce.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Bryan winces after weighing in at 597 lbs.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
9 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shrinks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrinks. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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