shrinkage

American  

[shring-kij] / ˈʃrɪŋ kɪdʒ /

noun

1. the act or fact of shrinking.

2. the amount or degree of shrinking.

3. reduction or depreciation in quantity, value, etc.

4. contraction of a fabric in finishing or washing.

5. the difference between the original weight of livestock and that after it has been prepared for marketing.

6. Commerce. loss of merchandise through breakage, pilferage, shoplifting, etc.

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shrinkage British  

/ ˈʃrɪŋkɪdʒ /

noun

1. the act or fact of shrinking

2. the amount by which anything decreases in size, value, weight, etc

3. the loss in body weight during shipment and preparation of livestock for marketing as meat

4. the loss of merchandise in a retail store through theft or damage

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Etymology

Origin of shrinkage

First recorded in 1790–1800; shrink + -age

Example Sentences

The shrinkage follows lackluster economic performance in 2025, which plummeted the company’s shares by 25% in February.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

The structural score also showed a strong relationship with cognitive test results and a more moderate association with MRI measurements of brain shrinkage.

From Science Daily • Mar. 12, 2026

The upshot is that officials eventually must decide when to resume purchases of securities to prevent further passive shrinkage of reserves.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025

There are several causes for the yield shrinkage, one being the big share price increases in recent years that pushed yields lower.

From Barron's • Oct. 16, 2025

Allowing for shrinkage in the intervening thirty years, this is twice the number seen by Garc�s.

From The Aboriginal Population of the San Joaquin Valley, California by Cook, Sherburne F.

Related Words

• contraction
• depreciation
• diminution
• reduction
• shrinking