How to pronounce shrink
Say it like SHRINGK. Shrink is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shrink. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHRINGK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shrink pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHRINGKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of shrink
American and British speakers say shrink in essentially the same way: /ʃrɪŋk/ in the US and /ʃrɪŋk/ in the UK.
British respelling: SHRINGK.
What does shrink mean?
- wither, as with a loss of moisture“The fruit dried and shriveled”
- draw back, as with fear or pain“she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf”
- reduce in size; reduce physically“Hot water will shrink the sweater”“Can you shrink this image?”
- a physician who specializes in psychiatry
Where does shrink come from?
The sense “psychologist, psychotherapist” is a clipping of head-shrinker.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with shrink
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of shrink.
Questions about saying shrink
How do you pronounce shrink?
Say SHRINGK. The American pronunciation is /ʃrɪŋk/. In British English it is /ʃrɪŋk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shrink?
Shrink is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SHRINGK.
Do Americans and Brits say shrink the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ʃrɪŋk/ and the British form is /ʃrɪŋk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.