adjective
shrunken
SHRUNG-kun/ˈʃrʌŋkən/
Smaller than its original size.
The shrunken apple is smaller and more wrinkled than the fresh one.
Etymology
The verb scrincan could mean drawing in the limbs, contracting, or withering. The participial adjective describes the resulting state: something has contracted or withered and is now smaller.
In context
The thin ascetic countenance was that of a woman of strong character, and her funereal habit seemed much too large for her stunted, shrunken figure.
More examples
- She tosses the shrunken apples into the compost bin.
- He struggles to read the shrunken text on his phone.
- The shrunken budget leaves little room for new projects.
Forms
shrunken
shrink verb — Become smaller or make something smaller.
shrinkage noun — A reduction in size or amount.
Similar words
- reduced
- Describes lower amounts or levels as well as smaller size.
- contracted
- Emphasizes something drawing inward or becoming more tightly compressed.