shrinkage

noun

shrink·​age ˈshriŋ-kij 

 especially Southern  ˈsriŋ-

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

• abatement
• decline
• decrease
• decrement
• dent
• depletion
• depression
• diminishment
• diminution
• drop
• drop-off
• fall
• falloff
• loss
• reduction
• step-down

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

Ongoing shifts in the technology sector, plus the shrinkage around white-collar jobs, point to a restructuring of the U.S. economy - with major potential impact for workers across multiple sectors of the economy. —Chris Westfall, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025

Hippocampal volume preservation: Exercise has been shown to prevent hippocampal atrophy (degeneration or shrinkage) and improve spatial memory, the physician said. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025

Finally, in North Carolina, both parties have seen mild shrinkage in their share of the electorate. —Philip Elliott, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024

Additionally, unlike fiberglass and cellulose insulations in the attic, stone wool insulation has virtually no shrinkage or rot issues. —Don Magruder, The Tennessean, 22 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for shrinkage

• linkage

Kids Definition

shrinkage

noun

shrink·​age ˈshriŋ-kij 

: the amount by which something shrinks or becomes less