shrink
Reduce in size
Shrink means to become smaller or make something smaller.
Fabric shrinks in hot water.
Markets shrink during recessions.
A person who shrinks draws back, physically or emotionally: She shrank from his touch.
The noun shrink is informal for a psychiatrist or psychologist—one who supposedly shrinks swollen heads.
Past tense: shrank or shrunk.
To make smaller
- lessenReduce in degree
- decreaseBecome or make smaller
- shrivelContract from dryness
- contractEnforceable written agreement
compress · condense · deflate · dwindle · constrict · narrow · downsize · curtail
Involuntary retreat from threat
- winceReflexive recoil from distress
- cringeShrink from discomfort
- cowerShrink back in dread
- withdrawRemove or pull away
retreat · recoil · shy away · pull back · hesitate · balk · quail · blench
Mental health practitioner
- analystOne who examines systematically
- psychoanalystUnconscious mind specialist
- counselorOne who advises
- psychiatryMental health medicine
couch · Freudian · Jungian · headshrinker · psychotherapy · session · diagnosis · mental health
Clean using liquid
- laundryItems needing cleaning
- preshrunkPre-treated against size reduction
- cottonPlant fiber for textiles
- woolSheared animal fiber
felt · felting · dryer · hot water · garment · clothing · fiber · textile
Measure of relative size
- modelRepresentation or paradigm
- tinyExtremely small in size
- miniatureReduced-scale representation
- diminutiveVery small, or nickname form
microscopic · nanoscale · pocket-sized · scaled-down · minuscule · dwarf · toylike · bonsai
diminish
To make smaller
contract · compress · condense · deflate · dwindle · constrict · narrow · downsize · curtail · pare
flinch
Involuntary retreat from threat
withdraw · retreat · recoil · shy away · pull back · hesitate · balk · quail · blench · drawback
therapist
Mental health practitioner
- analystOne who examines systematically
- psychoanalystUnconscious mind specialist
- counselorOne who advises
psychiatry · couch · Freudian · Jungian · headshrinker · psychotherapy · session · diagnosis · mental health · neurosis
wash
Clean using liquid
- laundryItems needing cleaning
- preshrunkPre-treated against size reduction
- cottonPlant fiber for textiles
wool · felt · felting · dryer · hot water · garment · clothing · fiber · textile · care label
scale
Measure of relative size
diminutive · microscopic · nanoscale · pocket-sized · scaled-down · minuscule · dwarf · toylike · bonsai · thumbnail
- declinedecline, in decline, decrease, downswing, on the decline
- declinesdrop, decline, downtrend, downturn, downfall
- diminishingabate, decrease, diminish, dwindle, ebb
- inward movementinhale, absorb, intake, retract, withdraw
- Reducediminish, decrease, lessen, reduce, lower
- reduce/lessenreduce, lessen, decrease, diminish, cut
- shrink wrapPlastic that seals tight
- shrinking violetExtremely timid person
- heat shrinkPolymer sleeve that contracts
- shrink backWithdraw due to fear
- shrink wrappingHeat-tightened plastic covering
- shrink awayWithdraw from fear
shrinking, shrinkage, shrinks, shrinkable, unshrinking, shrinker, unshrinkable, shrinkingly, shrinking violet