# shrunk

/ˈʃɹəŋk/ (US) · /ʃɹˈʌŋk/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shrunk
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

smaller than it used to be, usually because it was washed in hot water.

For teachers: reduced in size or volume, typically as a result of heat, moisture, or contraction. Often used predicatively to describe the state of a garment or material.

## Examples

- My favorite sweater is shrunk and no longer fits.
- The laundry instructions warn that the fabric will look shrunk if you use a high-heat drying cycle.
- The market for traditional film cameras has shrunk significantly since the advent of high-resolution smartphones, leaving only a niche group of dedicated hobbyists.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The shirt has shrank" but "The shirt has shrunk" — Learners often confuse the simple past 'shrank' with the past participle 'shrunk' used after the auxiliary verb 'have'.

## Usage notes

- While technically a past participle of 'shrink', it frequently functions as a predicative adjective following linking verbs like 'is', 'looks', or 'seems'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.