shrinkage
Getting gradually smaller
Shrinkage is the process of becoming smaller, or the amount by which something shrinks.
Fabric shrinkage occurs when clothing is washed in hot water.
In retail, shrinkage refers to inventory loss from theft, damage, or accounting errors: The store's shrinkage rate was three percent.
The word also appears in jokes about male anatomy in cold water.
Stealing store merchandise
- pilferageMinor theft of goods
- loss preventionProtecting store inventory
- employee theftWorkers stealing from their employer
- stocktakeCounting stored goods
security tags · surveillance · merchandise · discrepancy · write-off · unaccounted · auditing · profit margin
Making less loose
- shorteningReducing length or duration
- constrictionTightening or narrowing action
- shrivelingContracting from moisture loss
- witheringDrying and declining
curling · puckering · coiling · clenching · contracture · wrinkling · compression · condensing
Wasting from disuse
- muscle wastingLoss of tissue mass
- organBody's working component
- degenerationProgressive loss of function
- agingGrowing older over time
Pre-treated against size reduction
- dryerAppliance removing moisture
- cottonPlant fiber for textiles
- woolSheared animal fiber
- fabricWoven or knit material
washing · hot water · tumble dry · garment · clothing · fit · sizing · denim
Low temperature state
- coolingLosing thermal energy
- freezingExtremely cold
- refrigerationHeat removal for preservation
- temperatureMeasured heat intensity
chill · frost · ice · warming · expansion · coefficient · metal · plastic
Treatment via unconscious exploration
- castration anxietyDread of losing male organs
- FreudianOf unconscious-mind theory
- unconsciousNot awake or aware
- neurosisFunctional mental disorder
defense mechanism · George Costanza · Seinfeld · swimming · cold water · embarrassment · masculinity · anxiety
shoplifting
Stealing store merchandise
- pilferageMinor theft of goods
- loss preventionProtecting store inventory
- employee theftWorkers stealing from their employer
stocktake · security tags · surveillance · merchandise · discrepancy · write-off · unaccounted · auditing · profit margin · overhead
tightening
Making less loose
- shorteningReducing length or duration
- constrictionTightening or narrowing action
- shrivelingContracting from moisture loss
withering · curling · puckering · coiling · clenching · contracture · wrinkling · compression · condensing · narrowing
atrophy
Wasting from disuse
- muscle wastingLoss of tissue mass
- organBody's working component
- degenerationProgressive loss of function
preshrunk
Pre-treated against size reduction
fabric · washing · hot water · tumble dry · garment · clothing · fit · sizing · denim · linen
cold
Low temperature state
- coolingLosing thermal energy
- freezingExtremely cold
- refrigerationHeat removal for preservation
temperature · chill · frost · ice · warming · expansion · coefficient · metal · plastic · materials
psychoanalysis
Treatment via unconscious exploration
- castration anxietyDread of losing male organs
- FreudianOf unconscious-mind theory
- unconsciousNot awake or aware
neurosis · defense mechanism · George Costanza · Seinfeld · swimming · cold water · embarrassment · masculinity · anxiety
- laundry problemsstains, fading, wrinkles, lint, holes
- material propertieshardness, elasticity, ductility, strength, durability
- cell pathologyapoptosis, necrosis, cell death, cell lysis, DNA damage
- feltingneedle felting, wool felt, merino wool, wool fibers, roving
- textile propertiesthread count, denier, fineness, tenacity, tensile strength
- tissue responsesinflammation, swelling, redness, scarring, fibrosis
shrinkageexpansion
Increase in scope
enlargement · growth · swelling · extension · inflation
- brain shrinkageNeural tissue volume loss
- economic shrinkageDeclining productive output