Meaning

1 senses

  1. To back away or retreat; to abandon an effort.

More definitions
  • pull away from a source of disgust or fear

Examples

2 sentences

  1. The girl shrank back in fear.

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  2. He shrank back in the face of danger.

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Forms

shrinks back, shrinking back, shrank back, shrunk back
Base formshrink back · to shrink back
3rd person singularshrinks back
Present participleshrinking back
Past simpleshrank back / shrunk back
Past participleshrunk back / shrunken back

irregular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theyshrink back
he, she, itshrinks back

Past simpleLesson

all personsshrank back

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave shrunk back
he, she, ithas shrunk back

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill shrink back

Phrasal verbs

4 phrasal verbs

Synonyms

2 synonyms
shrink away
Close in meaning
  • pull away from a source of disgust or fear:retract

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
shrineshrinkB2shrinkageshrivelshroud
shrink back — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto