shrunk

verb

variants or shrunken
past participle of shrink
1
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

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2
as in flinched
to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust shrinking back from the approaching flames

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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

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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 shrunk 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 Batteries drag down performance with extra weight, motors suffer mechanical wear and failure, and complex electronics simply break down when shrunk to microscopic scales. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 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 In today’s transactional landscape of college athletics, the pressure is mounting and the timeline for developing a young quarterback has dramatically shrunk. — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026 That debt has not shrunk to match the smaller population now paying for it. — Lisa Nee, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 But thanks to the streaming revolution, the once-ubiquitous franchise has since shrunk to a single pilgrimage outpost in Bend, Oregon. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shrunk
  1. compressed
  2. flinched
  3. decreased
  4. constricted
  5. recoiled
  6. diminished
  7. declined
  8. vanished
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
  • 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
  • In some cases, LinkedIn says views of content classified as AI spam have decreased by as much as 40 percent.
    — Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Travel data shows the average group size for trips has decreased since COVID-19 began.
    — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of decreased
Verb
  • After the Philippines attained independence, in 1946, with the country’s economy constricted from more than three centuries of colonization, a diaspora spread around the world.
    — Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
  • With tanker traffic out of the Persian Gulf constricted over the past six months, higher exports from other countries, especially the US, have helped close the gap and keep prices relatively in check.
    — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of constricted
Verb
  • When councilman Steve Novick threatened to sue, the Blazers recoiled and became obstinate.
    — Jason Quick, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • Markets recoiled for a moment, then kept climbing, the Nasdaq tripling before the decade was out.
    — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 23 June 2026
Definition of recoiled
Verb
  • And the Ku Klux Klan, though diminished from its earlier power, had not disappeared.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The value of a geographic component in roster management has diminished.
    — Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminished
Verb
  • Trump has declined so far to endorse a successor, opting to keep his cards close ahead of what’s likely to be a bitter race.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 29 Aug. 2026
  • When asked about the lack of any tributes or the evening’s plans to honor Nolan, the Ocean Springs School District declined to comment.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of declined
Verb
  • Joe’s problem is that his own assignment appears to have vanished somewhere inside the machinery of the system.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In the years since, Afghanistan has practically vanished from American foreign policy discussion.
    — Laurel Miller, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of vanished

Browse Nearby Words

shrugs off
shrunk
shtick
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Cite this Entry

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

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