ENGLISH
REFERENCE

shrink

v. · n.
US //ˈʃɹɪŋk// UK //ʃɹˈɪŋk// shrink
Irregular verb past shrank past participle shrunk
  1. 1 to become smaller (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to become smaller in size, often because of heat or water.

    to become smaller in size or amount, particularly in reference to fabric contracting after washing.

    Example

    Be careful not to wash that wool sweater in hot water or it will shrink.

    Example

    The company's profit margins began to shrink as global competition drove down the market price of their flagship product.
    Pitfall
    My shirt was shrinked in the wash.
    My shirt shrank in the wash.

    The past tense of 'shrink' is 'shrank', not 'shrinked'.

  2. 2 to move back in fear (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to move away from something because you are scared or find it unpleasant.

    to recoil or draw back physically or mentally from something perceived as dangerous or disgusting.

    Example

    The child seemed to shrink away from the loud, barking dog.

    Example

    She did not shrink from the challenge, despite knowing that the legal battle would likely last for several years.
Show 2 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 a psychiatrist (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Slang

    a casual and sometimes slightly rude word for a doctor who treats mental health.

    a slang term for a psychiatrist or psychotherapist, derived from the idea of 'head-shrinking'.

    Example

    He decided to see a shrink to talk about his stress at work.

    Example

    The protagonist in the film spends most of the first act complaining to his shrink about his recurring nightmares.

    Teacher's tip

    While common in movies and TV, some people find this term disrespectful; use 'therapist' in professional settings.
  2. 4 inventory loss (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Business

    the loss of products from a shop because of theft or damage.

    the loss of inventory between the point of manufacture or purchase and the point of sale, typically due to theft or administrative error.

    Example

    The shop owner was worried about the high amount of shrink this month.

    Example

    Retailers are investing heavily in AI-driven surveillance to combat the rising costs associated with inventory shrink.

    Usage

    In a business context, this is often used as an uncountable noun.
Origin

From Middle English schrynken, from Old English sċrincan, from Proto-Germanic *skrinkwaną. Cognate with Dutch schrinken (“to shrink”). The sense “psychologist, psychotherapist” is a clipping of head-shrinker.

© 2026 English Reference