What's the past tense of "shrink"?
The simple past tense of shrink is shrank, and the past participle is shrunk. Both shrank and shrunk can be used as the simple past tense, but shrank is more commonly preferred.
Definition of shrink
The Oxford English Dictionary defines shrink as "to become smaller, or to make something smaller." It's used in various contexts, from physical shrinking to metaphorical expressions.
- The past tense of shrink is shrank.
- The past participle of shrink is shrunk.
Verb forms of 'shrink'
Is "shrink" a regular or irregular verb?
Note: Regular verbs end in -ed in the past tense. Any other verb ending is considered irregular.
The verb shrink is irregular. Its past tense is shrank and its past participle is shrunk. This is a pattern shared with a small group of English verbs, and it's important to recognize when using "shrink" in different contexts.
Similar irregular verbs
See other verb forms that have 3 conjugations (like shrink/shrank/shrunk):
When to use "shrank" vs. "shrunk"
I shrank my sweater in the dryer.
I have shrunk many sweaters from putting them in the dryer.
The participle form of a verb (shown in the second sentence) uses the auxiliary verb have.
When auxiliaries like have or had appear in the same sentence as a past participle verb form, this indicates that the verb's aspect is in the present or past perfect, and not the simple past tense.
Remember, a participle always uses a helper verb to form the complete tense or aspect. Simple tenses, on the other hand, can stand on their own.
Sentence examples: shrink, shrank, shrunk
• Will this shrink in the wash?
• I want to shrink and hide away from embarrassment.
• She's going to shrink your sweater.
• He shrank the material and sank the boat.
• My sweater shrank in the dryer.
• The company shrank its workforce last year.
• Profits have shrunk by 4% this quarter.
• Social media has shrunk the globe.
• The population had shrunk significantly.
Synonyms & nearby words
Synonyms for shrink
Nearby phrases
Word origin
Middle English shrinken, from Old English scrincan “to draw in the limbs, contract spontaneously, shrivel up; wither, from Proto-Germanic *skrink-.
Practice: shrank or shrunk
My favorite sweater ______ in the wash and now it’s too small.
The company’s profits have ______ over the last quarter.
The old wooden door ______ over time, making it difficult to close.
He had ______ away from the challenge, afraid to fail.
After the long hike, his water supply had ______ significantly.
FAQs
What is the simple past tense of "shrink"?
When should I use "shrunk"?
What is the difference between shrank & shrunk?
Is "shrunken" a verb form of shrink?
Can both shrank and shrunk be simple past?
Sources
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"Shrink, V." Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, June 2025, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/4565462679.
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Huddleston, Rodney, and Geoffrey K. Pullum. "The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language." Cambridge University Press, 2002. Date of access 15 Jan. 2025.
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