Shrank vs. Shrunk
Cambridge lists shrink, shrank, shrunk: shrank is the simple past and shrunk the past participle. The guide keeps tense, participle, regional, and sense boundaries explicit rather than reducing the pair to a blanket substitution rule.
Use “shrank” for the simple past and “shrunk” after an auxiliary such as has/have/had or in passive/adjectival uses.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| simple past | shrank | Use “shrank” in the standard simple-past pattern. |
| past participle after have/has/had | shrunk | Use “shrunk.” |
| passive/adjectival participle | shrunk | Use the participle where the grammar calls for it. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Is this a simple past clause without a participle-taking auxiliary?
If yes: Use “shrank.”
If no: If the grammar requires a past participle, use “shrunk.”
Caveat: The reviewed source lists “shrink, shrank, shrunk”; this guide keeps that standard tense/participle distinction without turning it into a claim about every dialectal or historical variant.
Examples
The sweater shrank in the wash.
“Shrank” is the simple past.
The lake has shrunk during the dry season.
After “has,” the past participle is “shrunk.”
The fabric looked slightly shrunk after drying.
“Shrunk” functions as a participial/adjectival form.
Further guidance
Core difference
Use “shrank” for the simple past and “shrunk” after an auxiliary such as has/have/had or in passive/adjectival uses.
Usage Boundary
Choose the form that matches tense, participle role, meaning, region, or lexicalized use; do not treat the pair as freely interchangeable in every sentence.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Shrink — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Cambridge lists shrink, shrank, shrunk: shrank is the simple past and shrunk the past participle.