shrink

[ shringk ]

/ ʃrɪŋk /

See synonyms for: shrink / shrank / shrinking / shrunken on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), shrank [shrangk] /ʃræŋk/ or, often, shrunk [shruhngk]; /ʃrʌŋk/; shrunk or shrunk·en [shruhng-kuhn]; /ˈʃrʌŋ kən/; shrink·ing.

to draw back, as in retreat or avoidance: to shrink from danger; to shrink from contact.

to contract or lessen in size, as from exposure to conditions of temperature or moisture: This cloth will not shrink if washed in lukewarm water.

to become reduced in extent or scope.

verb (used with object), shrank [shrangk] /ʃræŋk/ or, often, shrunk [shruhngk]; /ʃrʌŋk/; shrunk or shrunk·en [shruhng-kuhn]; /ˈʃrʌŋ kən/; shrink·ing.

to cause to shrink or contract; reduce.

Textiles. to cause (a fabric) to contract during finishing, thus preventing shrinkage, during laundering, of the garments made from it.

noun

an act or instance of shrinking.

a shrinking movement.

shrinkage.

Also shrinker. Also called head shrinker. Slang. a psychotherapist, psychiatrist, or psychoanalyst.

SYNONYMS FOR shrink

1 withdraw, recoil, quail.

See synonyms for shrink on Thesaurus.com

ANTONYMS FOR shrink

3 increase.

See antonyms for shrink on Thesaurus.com

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

In our third teacher-created PSAT practice test there are new and unique vocabulary terms you may have never heard of! Can you guess what they mean?

Question 1 of 10

seclusion

a false belief or opinion.

the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid.

the state of being isolated, kept apart, or withdrawn into solitude.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of shrink

First recorded before 900, and in 1955–60 for def. 9; Middle English schrinken, Old English scrincan; cognate with Middle Dutch schrinken, Swedish skrynka “to shrink,” Norwegian skrukka “old shrunken woman”

synonym study for shrink

1. See wince¹. 3. See decrease.

OTHER WORDS FROM shrink

shrink·a·ble, adjectiveshrink·ing·ly, adverbnon·shrink·a·ble, adjectivenon·shrink·ing, adjective

non·shrink·ing·ly, adverbo·ver·shrink, verb, o·ver·shrank or, often, o·ver·shrunk; o·ver·shrunk or o·ver·shrunk·en; o·ver·shrink·ing.un·shrink·a·ble, adjectiveun·shrink·ing, adjectiveun·shrink·ing·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for shrink

The FAST services are unlikely to see their ad revenue shrink this year, but their ad revenue growth may slow and their share of streaming ad dollars may narrow as more of the new money moving into streaming goes to the likes of Hulu and HBO Max.
Future of TV Briefing: The ad-supported streaming war officially kicks off in 2021|Tim Peterson|January 13, 2021|Digiday
Not surprising, now that we paid more attention to it, we’re reducing our shrink pretty much in all those areas.
How to Succeed by Being Authentic (Hint: Carefully) (Ep. 438)|Stephen J. Dubner|November 5, 2020|Freakonomics
Reducing shrink is of course one way to drive down costs, and driving down costs is a basic tenet of the Amazon business model.
How to Succeed by Being Authentic (Hint: Carefully) (Ep. 438)|Stephen J. Dubner|November 5, 2020|Freakonomics
Mr. Wynd said the shrinking process includes filling the head with hot sand and boiling it with herbs.
Dodo Bones and Kylie’s Poo: Inside London’s Strangest New Museum|Liza Foreman|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST

For the first time in American history, rural areas are shrinking.
Andrew Cuomo Ignores Rural New York|David Fontana|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The already-tiny group of volunteers and health-care workers in West Africa is shrinking.
Doctors Without Borders Hits Ebola Breaking Point|Abby Haglage, Kent Sepkowitz|October 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Shrinking ad revenue in the digital era has caused outlets to scale back on everything.
It Was All a Dream: Drama, Bullshit, and the Rebirth of The Source Magazine|Alex Suskind|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If the pictures are new, the news of the Aral Sea shrinking is old.
The Aral Sea's Disappearing Act|Anna Nemtsova|October 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She stopped before the table, timid and shrinking as though she felt a presentiment of danger, but making an effort to smile.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse|Vicente Blasco Ibanez
Anyone there would have taken his dying oath that the thing aimed for his shrinking vitals and none other's.
Old Judge Priest|Irvin S. Cobb
The mob was dissolving into thin smoke, and the horizon was shrinking.
Flamedown|Horace Brown Fyfe
And with his torch he burned stripes down the arms and legs of the shrinking Chulavete.
Unknown Mexico, Volume 1 (of 2)|Carl Lumholtz
Mr Benson caught the new look of shrinking shame in Leonard's eye, as it first sought, then shunned, meeting his.
Ruth|Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell

British Dictionary definitions for shrink

shrink

/ (ʃrɪŋk) /

verb shrinks, shrinking, shrank, shrunk, shrunk or shrunken

to contract or cause to contract as from wetness, heat, cold, etc

to become or cause to become smaller in size

(intr often foll by from)

to recoil or withdrawto shrink from the sight of blood
to feel great reluctance (at)to shrink from killing an animal

noun

the act or an instance of shrinking

slang a psychiatrist

Derived forms of shrink

shrinkable, adjectiveshrinker, nounshrinking, adjectiveshrinkingly, adverb

Word Origin for shrink

Old English scrincan; related to Old Norse skrokkr torso, Old Swedish skrunkin wrinkled, Old Norse hrukka a crease, Icelandic skrukka wrinkled woman

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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shrink

verb (used without object), shrank [shrangk] /ʃræŋk/ or, often, shrunk [shruhngk]; /ʃrʌŋk/; shrunk or shrunk·en [shruhng-kuhn]; /ˈʃrʌŋ kən/; shrink·ing.

verb (used with object), shrank [shrangk] /ʃræŋk/ or, often, shrunk [shruhngk]; /ʃrʌŋk/; shrunk or shrunk·en [shruhng-kuhn]; /ˈʃrʌŋ kən/; shrink·ing.

noun

SYNONYMS FOR shrink

ANTONYMS FOR shrink

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

Origin of shrink

synonym study for shrink

OTHER WORDS FROM shrink

Example sentences from the Web for shrink

British Dictionary definitions for shrink

verb shrinks, shrinking, shrank, shrunk, shrunk or shrunken

noun

Derived forms of shrink

Word Origin for shrink

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

shrink

verb (used without object), shrank [shrangk] /ʃræŋk/ or, often, shrunk [shruhngk]; /ʃrʌŋk/; shrunk or shrunk·en [shruhng-kuhn]; /ˈʃrʌŋ kən/; shrink·ing.

verb (used with object), shrank [shrangk] /ʃræŋk/ or, often, shrunk [shruhngk]; /ʃrʌŋk/; shrunk or shrunk·en [shruhng-kuhn]; /ˈʃrʌŋ kən/; shrink·ing.

noun

SYNONYMS FOR shrink

ANTONYMS FOR shrink

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

Origin of shrink

synonym study for shrink

OTHER WORDS FROM shrink

Words related to shrink

Example sentences from the Web for shrink

British Dictionary definitions for shrink

verb shrinks, shrinking, shrank, shrunk, shrunk or shrunken

noun

Derived forms of shrink

Word Origin for shrink