shrink

/ˈʃɹɪŋk/

//ˈʃɹɪŋk// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"shrink" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“shrink” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #10,769. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#10,769
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To cause to become smaller.

Corpus desk

Index EN-shrink · shrink · English

shrink · rank #10,769 · 10 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #10,769
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH shrine

Nearest frequency peer: shrine (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “shrink”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “shrink” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

shrink vs sink
67% similar
shrink vs stink
67% similar
shrink vs spring
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for shrink
PropertyValue
Headwordshrink
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈʃɹɪŋk/
Letters6
Frequency rank#10,769
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “shrink” sits in English frequency

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).shrink lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around shrink (IPA /ˈʃɹɪŋk/), averb. Corpus frequency is #10,769 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for shrink, with forms such as "hsrink", "shhrink", and "shirnk". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "sink", "stink", "spring", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English schrynken, from Old English sċrincan, from Proto-Germanic *skrinkwaną. Cognate with Dutch schrinken (“to shrink”). The sense “psychologist, psychotherapist” is a clipping of head-shrinker. The correct English form is shrink, spelled S-H-R-I-N-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    To cause to become smaller.
  2. 2
    To become smaller; to contract.
  3. 3
    To cower or flinch.
  4. 4
    To draw back; to withdraw.
  5. 5
    To withdraw or retire, as from danger.
  6. 6
    To move back or away, especially because of fear or disgust.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how shrink appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The dryer shrank my sweater.
  2. The bottom line is this: To shrink your gut, you need to start listening to it.

Etymology

From Middle English schrynken, from Old English sċrincan, from Proto-Germanic *skrinkwaną. Cognate with Dutch schrinken (“to shrink”). The sense “psychologist, psychotherapist” is a clipping of head-shrinker.

Synonyms

funkshirkshrink backretreatflinch

Antonyms

expandgrowenlargestretchexpandgrowenlargestretch

This word in other languages

contraerse(Español)se réduire(Français)schrumpfen(Deutsch)encolher(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • hsrink
  • shhrink
  • shirnk
  • shrikn
  • shrinkk
  • shrinnk
  • shrnik
  • shrrink
  • srhink
  • sshrink

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of shrink - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

hsrink2shhrink1shirnk2shrikn2shrinkk1shrinnk1shrnik2shrrink1
Edit distance from "shrink"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "shrink"?
"shrink" is spelled S-H-R-I-N-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈʃɹɪŋk/.
What does "shrink" mean?
As a verb, "shrink" means: To cause to become smaller.
What words are commonly confused with "shrink"?
"shrink" is commonly confused with "sink", "stink", "spring". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "shrink"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "shrink" is /ˈʃɹɪŋk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "shrink"?
From Middle English schrynken, from Old English sċrincan, from Proto-Germanic *skrinkwaną. Cognate with Dutch schrinken (“to shrink”). The sense “psychologist, psychotherapist” is a clipping of head-shrinker. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "shrink", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

shrine#10,768sniper#10,770sorrow#10,772saddle#10,763

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

roasted10 variantsPearson10 variantsviruses10 variantspatriot10 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "shrink". Here's where to go from here.

  • "shrink" maps to 20 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "sink". View pair
  • 10 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #10,769 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "S" letter cohort. S–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list