shrink
gb/ʃɹˈɪŋk/ us/ʃɹˈɪŋk/
B1
English
~ 6700
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
event
1
become physically smaller
To get smaller in size, often because of heat, cold, or washing.
Usage pattern:
[something] shrinks
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"shrink down"* unnecessarily, as in *"My shirt shrinked down"*. In most cases, simply say *"My shirt shrank"*. Also, the past tense is *"shrank"*, not *"shrinked"*.
Synonyms
contract (More technical or formal, often used for materials, muscles, or official agreements becoming smaller or tighter.)
Antonyms
expand (Describes something becoming larger in size, the opposite physical change of shrinking.)
Collocations
shrink in the wash
|cotton shrinks
|shrink slightly
|shrink over time
|shrink when heated
|shrink a little
Themes
daily life
|home
|objects
|daily_life
|science
Examples
- This sweater will shrink if you wash it in hot water.
- The wood may shrink as it dries out over the winter.
- My jeans shrank in the wash and now they’re too tight.
- The ice cubes shrank as they slowly melted in the glass.
- The company noticed that the plastic parts tended to shrink after cooling.
Learner examples
- Be careful, that shirt might shrink.
- My new pants shrank a little after I washed them.
- The balloon shrank when the air went out.
- The sponge shrinks when it gets dry.
- These shoes shrank in the sun.
Verb
B2
event
2
decrease in amount or value
To get smaller in number, amount, or value.
Usage pattern:
[amount] shrinks
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *"shrink"* only for physical size and forget it can also describe numbers or amounts. In business or news, *"shrink"* often refers to money, markets, or populations becoming smaller.
Synonyms
decrease (A general and very common word for becoming less in amount or size; slightly more neutral and formal than "shrink".)
Antonyms
grow (Describes an amount or value becoming larger, the opposite trend to something that shrinks.)
Collocations
shrinking market
|shrinking population
|profits shrank
|shrinking budget
|shrinking workforce
|shrinking share
Themes
business
|statistics
|trends
|finance
Examples
- Their profits have shrunk by 20% over the past year.
- The town’s population is shrinking as young people move away.
- The company’s share of the market continues to shrink.
- Our savings are shrinking faster than we expected.
- The gap between rich and poor is not shrinking.
Learner examples
- The city is shrinking because many people leave.
- Her salary shrank after the company had problems.
- My free time is shrinking as I get older.
- The budget for schools has shrunk again.
- Their customer base is shrinking every year.
Verb
B2
action
3
make something physically smaller
To make something smaller in size.
Usage pattern:
to shrink [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"make it more small"* instead of *"shrink it"*. Also, remember the irregular past forms: *shrink – shrank – shrunk*, not *shrinked*.
Synonyms
reduce (Emphasizes making something smaller in amount or size; often more formal and broader than "shrink".)
Antonyms
enlarge (Means to make something bigger, especially in physical size or in images, the opposite of shrinking it.)
Collocations
shrink clothes
|shrink a photo
|shrink the image
|shrink the window
|shrink a tumor
|shrink the file
Themes
daily life
|technology
|health
|daily_life
Examples
- You can shrink the image before you print it.
- The treatment helped shrink the tumor significantly.
- He accidentally shrank all his sweaters by washing them on high heat.
- Click here to shrink the window to half its size.
- They used software to shrink the file so it could be emailed.
Learner examples
- Don’t shrink my favorite shirt in the dryer.
- She shrank the picture to fit on the page.
- The new medicine should shrink the swelling.
- I need to shrink this file before I send it.
- He shrank the photo on his phone screen.
Verb
B2
action
4
move back in fear or disgust
To move your body back because you feel afraid, surprised, or sickened by something.
Usage pattern:
[someone] shrinks back/away (from [something])
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this sense with the size meaning and say things like *"He shrank from the dog"* when they mean he is smaller than the dog. In this sense, *shrink* always involves movement caused by fear or disgust, often with *back* or *away*.
Synonyms
recoil (Commonly used for suddenly moving back in fear or disgust; often sounds a bit more dramatic or literary.)
Antonyms
advance (Means to move forward, often bravely or confidently, instead of moving away in fear.)
Collocations
shrink back
|shrink away
|shrink in horror
|shrink from his touch
|shrink instinctively
|shrink away in fear
Themes
emotions
|body movement
|body
Examples
- She shrank back as the dog barked loudly at the gate.
- He shrank away from the open wound, unable to look at it.
- The child shrank in terror when the fireworks exploded overhead.
- They shrank back from the edge of the cliff.
- I instinctively shrank away as the car skidded toward us.
Learner examples
- The boy shrank back when the dog jumped.
- She shrank away from the spider on the wall.
- He shrank in fear when he heard the loud noise.
- They shrank back from the fire.
- I shrank away when the man shouted at me.
Verb
formal
C1
action
5
avoid something unpleasant or wrong
To not want to do something because it is hard, unpleasant, or not right, usually said as "shrink from".
Usage pattern:
[someone] shrinks from [doing something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes try to use this sense without *"from"*, as in *"He shrank the responsibility"*, which is incorrect. Use *"shrink from [something/doing]"* to show you avoid it.
Synonyms
shy away from (More informal and common in speech; suggests avoiding something because of fear or discomfort rather than strong moral judgment.)
Antonyms
face (Means to deal with something difficult or unpleasant directly instead of avoiding it.)
Collocations
shrink from responsibility
|shrink from violence
|shrink from the truth
|not shrink from
|shrink from making a decision
|shrink from taking action
Themes
emotions
|ethics
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Many politicians shrink from making unpopular decisions.
- She does not shrink from speaking her mind, even when others disagree.
- He shrank from the idea of firing any employees.
- We must not shrink from the truth, however uncomfortable it may be.
- They shrink from taking responsibility for their own mistakes.
Learner examples
- He shrank from telling his parents the bad news.
- She will not shrink from hard work.
- Many people shrink from talking about death.
- They shrink from making a big change.
- I must not shrink from this difficult choice.
Noun
informal
B2
entity
6
psychiatrist or therapist (informal)
An informal word for a doctor or therapist who helps people with mental or emotional problems.
Usage pattern:
to see/go to [a shrink]
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize *"shrink"* is informal and can sound humorous or slightly disrespectful. In serious situations, *"therapist"* or *"psychiatrist"* is usually better.
Synonyms
therapist (A neutral, more respectful term; can refer to different kinds of mental health professionals, not just doctors.)
Antonyms
patient (The person receiving treatment, the opposite role of the shrink who gives treatment.)
Collocations
see a shrink
|go to a shrink
|my shrink
|talk to a shrink
|he has a shrink
|send him to a shrink
Themes
health
|emotions
|relationships
|communication
Examples
- His friends keep telling him to see a shrink about his anxiety.
- She jokes that her shrink knows more about her than her family does.
- I finally decided to go to a shrink after the breakup.
- In the movie, the main character falls in love with his shrink.
- My shrink suggested I try writing a journal.
Learner examples
- He sees a shrink once a week.
- She does not want to talk to a shrink.
- My friend says I should go to a shrink.
- In the story, the hero talks to a shrink.
- Her parents sent her to a shrink.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
7
inventory loss from theft or damage
In shops and businesses, the amount of goods lost because people steal them, they are damaged, or they are counted wrong.
Usage pattern:
[company] has/experiences [shrink]
Common mistake:
Learners may think this *shrink* means the goods are getting physically smaller. In business, it refers to goods disappearing from stock, not changing size.
Synonyms
shrinkage (A more common and slightly more formal technical term for the same concept in retail and accounting.)
Antonyms
recovery (In this context, refers to getting back lost or stolen goods or money, the opposite outcome of shrink.)
Collocations
retail shrink
|inventory shrink
|cut shrink
|shrink rate
|shrink figures
|shrink losses
Themes
business
|crime
|money
|finance
Examples
- The supermarket is installing more cameras to reduce shrink.
- Retailers say that shrink from shoplifting has risen sharply this year.
- Improved stock control has helped the company cut shrink to under two percent.
- Most of the store’s shrink is due to employee theft.
- They hired consultants to analyze the causes of inventory shrink.
Learner examples
- The store has a problem with shrink because many items are stolen.
- Better security can help to reduce shrink.
- The manager checks the numbers to find shrink in the inventory.
- They lost money last year because of high shrink.
- The company wants to understand why shrink is increasing.
Grammar
Dictionary form
shrink
IPA
GB/ʃɹˈɪŋk/
US/ʃɹˈɪŋk/
Syllables & stress
shrink (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (shrink)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: shrink
- Plural: shrink, shrinks
Verb
- Base: shrink
- 3rd Person Singular: shrinks
- Present Participle: shrinking
- Past: shrank
- Past Participle: shrunk, shrunken
Word family
Forms
shrinks
noun
shrinking
verb
shrank
verb
shrunk
verb
shrunken
verb
Core family
shrinkage
noun
Related words
shrinkable
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
expand
verb B1
unshrinkable
adjective
Highlights
- Irregular past: shrank Verb
- Irregular past participle: shrunk, shrunken Verb
Expressions
go to a shrink
1/ɡˈoʊ tə ə ʃɹˈɪŋk/
fixed phrase
informal
go and meet a therapist
To visit a mental health doctor or therapist to get help with your feelings or thoughts.
Examples
- She started going to a shrink after the divorce.
- He refuses to go to a shrink, even though he clearly needs help.
not shrink from
1/nˈɑt ʃɹˈɪŋk fɹˈʌm/
idiom
formal
be willing to do hard or unpleasant things
To be ready to do something, even if it is very hard, unpleasant, or morally difficult.
Examples
- The committee will not shrink from taking tough decisions.
- He did not shrink from using strong language to make his point.
see a shrink
1/sˈi ə ʃɹˈɪŋk/
fixed phrase
informal
visit a therapist (informal)
To go to a mental health doctor or therapist to talk about your problems.
Examples
- His friends keep telling him to see a shrink about his stress.
- I finally decided to see a shrink after months of feeling depressed.
shrink away
1/ʃɹˈɪŋk əwˈeɪ/
phrasal verb
move away in fear or disgust
To move your body away from someone or something because you feel afraid, shocked, or disgusted.
Examples
- He shrank away from the smell of the garbage.
- The cat shrank away when I tried to pick it up.
- People shrank away from him when he started shouting.
shrink back
1/ʃɹˈɪŋk bˈæk/
phrasal verb
move back suddenly in fear
To move your body quickly backwards because you are afraid, surprised, or do not like something.
Examples
- She shrank back when the dog jumped at the fence.
- He shrank back in horror at the sight of the accident.
- The child shrank back as the stranger came closer.
shrink from
1/ʃɹˈɪŋk fɹˈʌm/
phrasal verb
formal
avoid something unpleasant or wrong
To not want to do something because it is hard, unpleasant, or feels wrong.
Examples
- Many leaders shrink from admitting they made a mistake.
- She does not shrink from difficult conversations.
- He shrank from telling his family the bad news.
shrink in the wash
1/ʃɹˈɪŋk ˈɪn ðə wˈɔʃ/
fixed phrase
become smaller when washed
To become smaller in size after being washed in water, usually because the water is hot.
Examples
- This sweater will shrink in the wash if you use hot water.
- My favorite jeans shrank in the wash and now they’re too tight.
shrink to fit
1/ʃɹˈɪŋk tə fˈɪt/
fixed phrase
make something small enough to fit
To make something smaller so that it fits into a certain space or area.
Examples
- Click this button to shrink the text to fit on one page.
- These jeans are designed to shrink to fit your body after a few washes.
shrinking market
1/ʃɹˈɪŋkɪŋ mˈɑɹkɪt/
fixed phrase
market with falling demand
A group of buyers or customers that is getting smaller, so companies can sell less there.
Examples
- The company is struggling in a shrinking market for print newspapers.
- They decided to leave the shrinking market and focus on new products.
the world is shrinking
1/ðə wˈɚld ˈɪz ʃɹˈɪŋkɪŋ/
idiom
the world feels smaller and more connected
Used to say that travel and communication are faster and easier, so people in different places feel closer to each other.
Examples
- With cheap flights and the internet, it feels like the world is shrinking.
- As the world shrinks, businesses can reach customers anywhere.
shrinking violet
1/ʃɹˈɪŋkɪŋ vˈaɪəlɪt/
idiom
informal
very shy person
A person who is very shy and does not like to be noticed.
Examples
- He may look like a shrinking violet, but on stage he’s full of energy.
- She’s no shrinking violet; she’ll say exactly what she thinks.
shrinking violet
2/ʃɹˈɪŋkɪŋ vˈaɪəlɪt/
idiom
a very shy person
A person who is very quiet and shy, and does not like attention.
Examples
- Don’t be such a shrinking violet—share your ideas with the group.
- He may seem like a shrinking violet at first, but he becomes talkative once you know him.
- She’s no shrinking violet; she speaks her mind in every meeting.