shrinkage

noun

shrink·​age ˈshriŋ-kij How to pronounce shrinkage (audio)
especially Southern ˈsriŋ-
Synonyms of shrinkagenext
1
: the act or process of shrinking
2
a
: the loss in weight of livestock during shipment and in the process of preparing the meat for consumption
b
: the loss of goods especially by theft
inventory shrinkage
3
: the amount lost by shrinkage

Synonyms of shrinkage

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Examples of shrinkage in a Sentence

The shrinkage in contributions is significant. a shrinkage of 10 percent the shrinkage of the polar ice caps
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With city blocks burned to the ground, a shrinkage of affordable housing, and a spike in homelessness, the New York of the late seventies was a city in distress. — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 The first of the Virginia-class SSGNs are not scheduled to join the fleet until 2029, so the Navy is likely to see a shrinkage in its missile strike capabilities in the meantime. — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026 That’s where all the problems come from—the shrinkage, the color, blah, blah, blah. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 7 Aug. 2026 In fact, shrinkage has been translated to the equivalent of a whopping 60% of profit. — Robert Messer, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for shrinkage

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shrinkage was in 1800

Rhymes for shrinkage

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Browse Nearby Words

shrinkable
shrinkage
shrinkage rule
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Cite this Entry

“Shrinkage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrinkage. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

shrinkage

noun
shrink·​age ˈshriŋ-kij How to pronounce shrinkage (audio)
: the amount by which something shrinks or becomes less

More from Merriam-Webster on shrinkage

Nglish: Translation of shrinkage for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shrinkage

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