variants
or shrunken
1
as in compressed
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 flinched
to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust
shrinking back from the approaching flames
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in decreased
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 shrunk
Since its founding, the Northfield Allotments have shrunk to a few acres, land siphoned off over the years by developers.
—
Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
As sales decline, Target has shrunk its workforce.
—Melissa Repko, CNBC, 18 Feb. 2026
That changed once the COVID-19 pandemic hit and his world shrunk.
—Alyssa Ramos, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2026
The outfield was shrunk, spicing up all games.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Feb. 2026
Travel from Australia, India and Western Europe, among others, has also shrunk.
—Frédéric Dimanche, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026
Yet under his rule, childhood vaccine schedules have shrunk and recommendations for certain shots have come to include fewer people.
—Joseph Choi, The Hill, 13 Feb. 2026
The number of films nominated each year has noticeably shrunk (the last time only 50 films were recognized was 2008).
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 12 Feb. 2026
On average, winters have shrunk by nine days in these cities.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 12 Feb. 2026
Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
As sales decline, Target has shrunk its workforce.
—Melissa Repko, CNBC, 18 Feb. 2026
That changed once the COVID-19 pandemic hit and his world shrunk.
—Alyssa Ramos, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2026
The outfield was shrunk, spicing up all games.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Feb. 2026
Travel from Australia, India and Western Europe, among others, has also shrunk.
—Frédéric Dimanche, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2026
Yet under his rule, childhood vaccine schedules have shrunk and recommendations for certain shots have come to include fewer people.
—Joseph Choi, The Hill, 13 Feb. 2026
The number of films nominated each year has noticeably shrunk (the last time only 50 films were recognized was 2008).
—Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 12 Feb. 2026
On average, winters have shrunk by nine days in these cities.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 12 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrunk
Verb
-
Homeowners may need to make that request even before the property is sold and the timeline for filing a claim can be compressed.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Whereas previous technological leaps forward were measured in decades, with agentic AI, automation, quantum computing, and humanoid robotics, the adaptation time has been compressed to months.—
Martin Whittaker,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But as his show became a pop culture punchline and an enduring ratings force, Povich says the person closest to him never flinched.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Adi flinched but passed it to him.—
Jonathan Miles,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In its 2025 report, Lazard, a financial advisory firm, estimated that the cost to build, operate, fuel and maintain a plant has decreased by 55% for wind and 84% for solar since 2009.—
Suhail Bhat,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Over the past few years, profits have decreased.—
The Denver Post,
Denver Post,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
There’s nothing worse than feeling constricted while traveling, but the Airlift leggings are made to feel like a second skin with a four-way stretch that’s flattering and, most importantly, incredibly comfortable.—
Melony Forcier,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Johnson felt nauseated and his chest constricted, forcing the breath from his lungs.—
Jesse Bedayn,
Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After decades of being kissed up to by massive government support, our fossil fuel industries recoiled against President Joe Biden’s support to grow our clean energy sector.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
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Brendan Mcdermid | Reuters Software stocks on Thursday slid deeper into an ongoing intense sell-off this year as investors recoiled from the sector on growing fears that artificial intelligence could upend many firms' business models.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Wollenzien also points to the growing anxiety among professional artists about job security, as more than two-thirds of workers in creative industries believe that AI has diminished their employability in workplaces.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
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That diminished view of the Democratic Party in the AP-NORC polling is consistent regardless of Democrats’ age, race, ideology or educational background — suggesting that appealing to a specific group or two won’t fix the problem.—
Linley Sanders,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The embassy reopening plans are classified and the State Department declined to comment on details beyond confirming that the congressional notification was sent.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Feb. 2026
-
District officials declined to detail the concerns raised against district Trustee Tom Duncan, saying additional background information appears in reporting by the Auburn Journal.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Hawks closed on a decisive 24-2 burst as Brooklyn’s efficient offense through three quarters vanished.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
22 Feb. 2026
-
People know them — the pioneering flier and the Teamsters union president — because both of them vanished dramatically.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shrunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrunk. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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