- 1[intransitive, transitive] shrink (something) to become smaller, especially when washed in water that is too hot; to make clothes, cloth, etc. smaller in this way My sweater shrank in the wash.
- 2[intransitive, transitive] to become or to make something smaller in size or amount The tumor had shrunk to the size of a pea. The market for their products is shrinking. shrink something There was a movie called “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.” Television in a sense has shrunk the world. see shrunken
- 3[intransitive] + adv./prep. to move back or away from something because you are frightened or shocked synonym cower He shrank back against the wall as he heard them approaching. Idioms
shrink
verbNAmE//ʃrɪŋk//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they shrink he / she / it shrinks
past simple shrank
past simple shrunk
past participle shrunk
-ing form shrinking
a way of describing a very shy person Phrasal Verbsshrink from
Check pronunciation: shrink