shrinking
縮小していく
解説 Definition
「shrinking」（縮む）とは、サイズ、量、または重要性が小さくなっていく状態や過程を表す形容詞・現在分詞です。布地が洗濯で縮む、経済や人口が減少するなど様々な文脈で使われます。また、心理的に萎縮したり臆病になったりする状態を表すこともあります。
Becoming progressively smaller in size, amount, importance, or strength. As an adjective, it commonly describes something undergoing an ongoing decline, such as a shrinking population, market, income, area of ice, or level of confidence.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
原形 shrink に -ing をそのまま付けた形で、発音は shrink＋ing。形容詞では shrinking market、shrinking population、shrinking ice caps のように名詞の前に置き、「今まさに規模や量が小さくなっている」変化を示す。small が静的な小ささを表すのに対し、shrinking は縮小が進行中だと覚える。
Form “shrinking” by adding -ing directly to “shrink”; there is no spelling change. Hear it as “shrink-ing” and picture something pulling inward over time. The key contrast is with “small”: small describes a state, while shrinking describes an ongoing change toward a smaller state. Learn it through common combinations such as “a shrinking market,” “a shrinking population,” “shrinking ice caps,” and “shrinking confidence.” These examples show that the word can describe physical size, numerical decline, economic reduction, or weakening psychological strength.
例文
The shrinking ice caps are a clear sign of climate change.
縮小していく氷冠は気候変動の明らかな兆候だ。
His confidence was shrinking as the exam approached.
試験が近づくにつれて彼の自信は萎縮していった。
The company is dealing with a shrinking market share.
その会社は縮小するマーケットシェアへの対応に追われている。
shrinking の類義語・関連語
shrinking の語源・成り立ち Etymology
shrinking は shrink＋-ing。shrink は古英語 scrincan「縮む・しぼむ」にさかのぼり、ゲルマン系の「曲がる・縮こまる」感覚を持つので、「内側へ小さくなる様子」がそのまま語義になっている。関連語は shrunken, shrinkage。
“Shrinking” consists of the verb “shrink” plus the suffix -ing. “Shrink” descends from Old English scrincan, meaning to contract, wither, or become weak, and belongs to a Germanic group of words associated with contracting or curling up. The present-participle form developed regularly in English. When placed before a noun, it functions adjectivally and highlights an active or continuing movement toward reduced size, quantity, or strength.
同じレベルの英単語をもっと
外部辞書で調べる
この単語を英単語クイズで覚えよう