shrunken: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Descriptive, sometimes slightly formal or literary. More common in written than spoken English.
Quick answer
What does “shrunken” mean?
The past participle and an adjective form of 'shrink', meaning to have become smaller, especially due to heat, moisture loss, or contraction.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The past participle and an adjective form of 'shrink', meaning to have become smaller, especially due to heat, moisture loss, or contraction.
Often implies a permanent or undesired reduction in size, vitality, or importance. Can describe physical objects, body parts, or figuratively, diminished influence, resources, or spirit.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both varieties use 'shrunken' primarily as an adjective. The past participle 'shrunk' is more common than 'shrunken' in both, but 'shrunken' as an adjective is standard.
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English in certain fixed phrases (e.g., 'shrunken head'), but overall usage is comparable.
Grammar
How to Use “shrunken” in a Sentence
[be/become] + shrunken + (in size/importance)shrunken + nounverb + noun + to a shrunken + stateVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “shrunken” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The wool had shrunken in the wash.
- His confidence seems to have shrunken away.
American English
- The sweater had shrunken after I dried it.
- The lake has shrunken to half its former size.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard; no common adverb form)
American English
- (Not standard; no common adverb form)
adjective
British English
- He wore a shrunken jumper.
- She held the shrunken apple in her palm.
American English
- He was left with a shrunken pension.
- The shrunken riverbed was now visible.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Describing reduced markets, profits, or assets. 'The company now operates with a shrunken workforce.'
Academic
Describing physical processes (e.g., glaciers, tissues) or metaphorical concepts (e.g., shrunken public sphere).
Everyday
Describing laundry accidents, ageing, or dried fruit. 'I washed my jumper in hot water, and now it's shrunken.'
Technical
In medicine (atrophied muscles), textiles (fabric shrinkage), geology (drying lakes).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “shrunken”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “shrunken”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “shrunken”
- Using 'shrunken' as the main verb in past simple ('He shrunken the shirt' is wrong; correct: 'He shrank the shirt'). Overusing 'shrunken' where 'shrunk' is the expected participle ('It has shrunken' is less common than 'It has shrunk').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are past participles of 'shrink'. 'Shrunk' is more common, especially in verb phrases ('It has shrunk'). 'Shrunken' is primarily used as an adjective before a noun ('a shrunken head').
It often carries a negative or undesirable connotation, implying loss, deterioration, or an unnatural reduction. However, in technical contexts (e.g., 'the shrunken pattern'), it can be neutral.
It's grammatically possible but stylistically awkward. Prefer 'more shrivelled', 'smaller', or 'further reduced' for comparatives.
It is standard but leans towards descriptive or slightly formal/literary register. In everyday speech, 'shrunk' or phrases like 'got smaller' are more common.
The past participle and an adjective form of 'shrink', meaning to have become smaller, especially due to heat, moisture loss, or contraction.
Shrunken: in British English it is pronounced /ˈʃrʌŋkən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈʃrʌŋkən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a shrunken head”
- “a shrunken world/view”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SHRUNKen SHRUbe: a plant that has SHRUNK and become small and withered.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPORTANCE/STRENGTH IS SIZE (Losing importance/strength is shrinking).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'shrunken' used CORRECTLY as an adjective?