shrunken

American  

[shruhng-kuhn] / ˈʃrʌŋ kən /

verb

1. a past participle of shrink.

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adjective

1. contracted or lessened in size, extent, or scope.

   Many state agencies are operating with a shrunken workforce.

shrunken British  

/ ˈʃrʌŋkən /

verb

1. a past participle of shrink

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adjective

1. (usually prenominal) reduced in size

   a shrunken head

Other Word Forms

• unshrunken adjective

Etymology

Origin of shrunken

First recorded before 1000, for the adjective

Example Sentences

The reel was shrunken through age and frayed, but otherwise in remarkable condition for something stashed in sun-heated attics for years.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

Outside, freshly laid parking lots sit mostly empty while a single, shrunken shift of workers comes and goes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

The individual beans, which resemble shrunken dates due to their wrinkly dark exterior, can also be microplaned to create a fine powder, according to a guide from Great British Chefs.

From Salon • Sep. 19, 2025

Can anything fill the void once those injunctions are shrunken down to size?

From Slate • Jun. 27, 2025

I picked up the shrunken photo of Fig and me in front of the shuttle Atlantis.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas