The verb to shrink · Conjugation
Past Simple of shrink
The answer: shrank (UK) / shrank or shrunk (US)
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to shrink is shrank (UK) / shrank or shrunk (US).
Example: My sweater shrank in the wash.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | shrank |
| You | shrank |
| He / She / It | shrank |
| We | shrank |
| You (pl.) | shrank |
| They | shrank |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Shrinked ❌
Shrink → shrank → shrunk: the vowel changes, i → a → u. It is the same pattern as drink → drank → drunk and sing → sang → sung. Never shrinked.
2. It has shrunken ❌
Shrunken is an adjective. It goes before a noun: a shrunken muscle, shrunken cheeks. After have or has (Present Perfect), use shrunk: It has shrunk.
3. Shrink = psychiatrist (slang)
In informal American English, a shrink is a psychiatrist. I see a shrink means I see a psychiatrist. It is slang, so don't use it with the doctor.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of shrink?+
The Past Simple of shrink is shrank (standard in the UK). Shrunk is also accepted in the US. The past participle is shrunk. Shrink → shrank → shrunk, like drink → drank → drunk.
Is the past tense shrank or shrunk?+
In British English: shrank for the Past Simple, shrunk for the past participle. In American English, shrunk is accepted for both. The US film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) uses shrunk as a Past Simple.
Is shrunken a word?+
Yes, shrunken is an adjective. It goes before a noun: a shrunken muscle (smaller and weaker), shrunken cheeks (thin and hollow).
Is it didn't shrink or didn't shrank?+
Say didn't shrink: The shirt didn't shrink in the wash. After didn't, use the base form, shrink.
What does shrink mean as a noun?+
It has a slang meaning! In informal American English, a shrink is a psychiatrist. It is short for headshrinker, a joke name for psychiatrists in the US in the 1950s. It is not polite, so don't use it with the doctor!
Related pages: shrink Past Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/shrink/past-simple
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.
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More forms of the verb to shrink are coming soon.