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shrink

USSHRINK/ˈʃɹɪŋk/SHRINGK/ˈʃɹɪŋk/

Verbshrinks, shrinking, shrank, shrunk

Noun pluralshrinks

6 meanings of shrink

Practice

  1. 1
    get smallerverbintransitive
    To get smaller, or to make something smaller.

    Like a sponge that gets smaller when it dries out.

    My new shirt will shrink if you wash it in hot water.

    The balloon shrank slowly as the air leaked out.

    UsageSay it shrank yesterday, and it has shrunk.

    Similarcontract, decrease, diminish, dwindle, reduce

    Oppositeexpand, grow, swell, increase

    Note
  2. 2
    therapistnounslangcountable
    An informal word for a psychiatrist or therapist, sometimes used jokingly or rudely.

    He finally agreed to see a shrink about his anxiety.

    My sister has been seeing a shrink twice a week.

    Similarhead-shrinker, shrinker

    Note
  3. 3
    avoidverbfigurativelyintransitive
    To avoid a hard or scary task instead of facing it.

    Like backing away from a job you don't want to do.

    He never shrinks from a challenge.

    Brave people do not shrink from telling the truth.

    UsageSay he doesn't shrink from a challenge.

    Similarshy, flinch, balk, recoil, retreat

    Oppositeface, confront, embrace

    Note
  4. 4
    recoilverbintransitive
    To move or pull back from something because you are afraid or disgusted.

    Like pulling your hand back fast from something hot.

    Children often shrink from large barking dogs.

    She shrank back when the spider crawled closer.

    UsageSay she shrank back.

    Similarrecoil, flinch, cringe, withdraw

  5. 5
    noununcountable
    The amount that something gets smaller, or a sudden pull back.

    Like the small gap that appears when a cake cools and pulls in.

    The fabric showed very little shrink after washing.

    Builders allow for some shrink as the wood dries.

    Similarcontraction

    Oppositeexpansion

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 6
    stock lossnoununcountable
    The loss of goods in a store from theft, damage, or items going bad before they sell.

    Like coins disappearing from a jar a few at a time.

    The store lost thousands of dollars to shrink last year.

    Managers track shrink to see how much stock goes missing.

    Similarloss, leakage

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of shrink apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Old English sċrincan. The meaning "psychiatrist" is a short form of head-shrinker.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts