SHRANK Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

shrank

verb

variants or shrunk

Definition of shrank

past tense of shrink

as in compressed

to become smaller in size or volume through the drawing together of particles of matter the sweater will shrink a little when washed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in recoiled

to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust shrinking back from the approaching flames

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in decreased

to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually his crush on her is likely to shrink after they start their new lives on different college campuses

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of shrank From 2004 to 2013, Chicago’s population shrank by 130,214 people, while unfunded pension obligations rose from $4,305 to $12,889 per resident, a Civic Federation analysis found. — Adam Drakulic, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 Global demand has also shrunk significantly with rising prices, helping to balance the oil market and get oil to the customers who need it. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026 The Colorado River, a critical water lifeline for seven states, has shrunk dramatically. — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 But according to reporting from the LA Times, beef sales have shrunk year over year while sales of chicken have continued to grow compared to last year. — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026 As the Danube waters shrank in Bulgaria, researchers were thrilled to find and recover a jawbone, tusks, a shoulder blade, ribs and other bone fragments belonging to an extinct woolly mammoth buried deep in the sand. — CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 Also in the new poll, Democrats' lead on the generic ballot for the 2026 midterms shrank. — Emily R. Condon, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026 The value of the Public Investment Fund’s assets under management shrank $10 billion last year to around $900 billion, according to its 2025 annual report. — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 2026 DeSantis’ mid-decade redistricting effort also shrunk the number of Democratic-leaning congressional seats in the state from eight to four, setting the stage for other heated congressional battles in South Florida in November. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrank

Verb

The explosion of malice effaces them in different ways, and James traces the mechanisms of their vanishing, examining how a person’s life can be compressed into smaller and smaller spaces.

— Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
The core issue is that this gas is normally compressed when injected at depth underground.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of compressed

Verb

Beresford says the real-life group had to be condensed for the stage, with composite characters like Reggie and Steph standing in for several real activists.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
What follows is an edited and condensed version of our Front Page Authority conversation.

— Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of condensed

Verb

The teen in the green sweatshirt, Williams, momentarily flinched from the gunshot.

— Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Sipp slightly flinched his left arm before throwing a pitch to Emmanuel Burriss, allowing Miguel Tejada to score and sending San Francisco to its fourth straight win.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026

Definition of flinched

Verb

Rincker, a German immigrant, was known for casting the bell that hung from the first Cook County Courthouse, which was felled by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

— Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Frightened that she may be plagued by the same mental illness that felled her mom, Gemma stubbornly refuses to believe anything is wrong.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of fell

Verb

My husband walked into the room and winced as one of the women changed into a perfect re-creation of an American Girl–doll outfit (very theater kid, not his thing).

— Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026
The French superstar winced after a free kick sailed over the goalpost in the 88th minute.

— Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026

Definition of winced

Browse Nearby Words

showy

shrank

shred

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“Shrank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shrank. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of shrank

verb

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