B2verb · irregular · transitive · rare

shrink

shrink · shrinks · shrank · shrunk · shrinking

скорочуватися, зменшуватися, стискатися, зменшитися

уменьшить, сесть, уменьшать, садиться

schrumpfen, abnehmen, sich drücken, scheuen

To cause to become smallerTo cause to become smaller.

ⓘ

/ˈʃɹɪŋk/

» The population of Japan is shrinking.

Die Bevölkerungszahl von Japan ist rückläufig.

Население Японии сокращается.

Населення Японії скорочується.

Meaning

6 senses

(transitive)To cause to become smaller.
The dryer shrank my sweater.
schrumpfen, abnehmen
уменьша́тьumenʹšátʹ, уме́ньшитьuménʹšitʹ, сжима́тьsžimátʹ
become smaller or draw together
(intransitive)To become smaller; to contract.
This garment will shrink when wet.
schrumpfen
сжима́тьсяsžimátʹsja, сжа́тьсяsžátʹsja, сокраща́тьсяsokraščátʹsja
скоро́чуватисяskoróčuvatysja, скороти́тисяskorotýtysja, стиска́тисяstyskátysja
(intransitive)To cower or flinch.
Molly shrank away from the blows of the whip.
(transitive)To draw back; to withdraw.
draw back, as with fear or pain
(figuratively, intransitive)To withdraw or retire, as from danger.
(intransitive)To move back or away, especially because of fear or disgust.
scheuen

Examples

117 sentences

The population of Japan is shrinking.
Населення Японії скорочується. — deniko
ruНаселение Японии сокращается. — Selena777
deDie Bevölkerungszahl von Japan ist rückläufig. — Esperantostern
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · B2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
Japan's population is shrinking.
Населення Японії скорочується. — deniko
ruНаселение Японии сокращается. — Selena777
deDie Bevölkerungszahl von Japan ist rückläufig. — Esperantostern
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · B2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
My jeans shrank in the wash.
ruМои джинсы сели после стирки. — marafon
deMeine Jeans ist beim Waschen eingelaufen. — Esperantostern
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · B2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
Have you been seeing a shrink?
ruТы посещал психиатра? — Robertpaulson
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · B2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
I think my jeans have shrunk.
ruКажется, у меня джинсы сели. — Wezel
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · B2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem

Translations

9 languages

Українська

By meaning 1

intransitive: to contract, to become smaller:

Русский

By meaning 2

transitive: to cause something to shrink:

intransitive: to contract, to become smaller:

Deutsch

By meaning 3

intransitive: to attempt to avoid an unwanted or intimidating duty:

transitive: to cause something to shrink:

to move back because of fear or disgust:

Origin

From Middle English schrynken, from Old English sċrincan, from Proto-Germanic *skrinkwaną.

From Middle English schrynken, from Old English sċrincan, from Proto-Germanic *skrinkwaną. Cognate with Dutch schrinken (“to shrink”).

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

shrinks, shrinking, shrank, shrunk

Base form	shrink · to shrink
3rd person singular	shrinks
Present participle	shrinking
Past simple	shrank
Past participle	shrunk / shrunken

irregular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, they	shrink
he, she, it	shrinks

Past simpleLesson

all persons

shrank

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, they	have shrunk
he, she, it	has shrunk

Future simple (will)Lesson

all persons

will shrink

Phrasal verbs

4 phrasal verbs

Synonyms

15 synonyms

avoid an unwanted task:funkB2 shirk

withdraw or retire, as from danger:retreatB2 shrink back flinch

Close in meaning

decrease in size, range, or extent:shrivel
become smaller or draw together:contract
reduce in size; reduce physically:reduce
wither, as with a loss of moisture:shrivel shrivel up wither
draw back, as with fear or pain:flinch squinch funk cringe wince recoil quail

Antonyms

4 antonyms

to cause to become smaller:expandB1 growA1 enlarge stretchB1

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
A1Past simple, irregular verbs — Because of its past form
A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle