What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Withering vs Shrink - What's the difference?

withering | shrink |

As verbs the difference between withering and shrink

is that withering is while shrink is to cause to become smaller.

As nouns the difference between withering and shrink

is that withering is the act of something that withers while shrink is shrinkage; contraction; recoil.

As an adjective withering

is tending to destroy, devastate, overwhelm or cause complete destruction.

withering

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Tending to destroy, devastate, overwhelm or cause complete destruction.
    • The D-Day troops came under withering fire .
  • Diminishing rapidly.
    • The playboy seemed oblivious to his withering fortune as he continued in his decadent lifestyle .
  • Tending to make someone feel small; scornful in a mortifying way.
    • Jane's mother in law gave her a withering look .
    He made withering remarks about his adversary .

    Verb

    (head)

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of something that withers.
  • * 1839 , William Jenkyn, ?James Sherman, An Exposition Upon the Epistle of Jude (page 274)
    • Spiritual witherings and decayings are opposite to the word of God.

    shrink

    English

    Verb

  • To cause to become smaller.
    • The dryer shrank my sweater.
  • To become smaller; to contract.
    • This garment will shrink when wet.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • I have not found that water, by mixture of ashes, will shrink or draw into less room.
  • * Dryden
    • And shrink like parchment in consuming fire.
  • To cower or flinch.
    • Molly shrank away from the blows of the whip.
  • To draw back; to withdraw.
  • * Milton
    • The Libya Hammon shrinks his horn.
  • (figuratively) To withdraw or retire, as from danger.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • What happier natures shrink at with affright, / The hard inhabitant contends is right.
  • * Jowett (Thucyd.)
    • They assisted us against the Thebans when you shrank from the task.

    Synonyms

    * (avoid an unwanted task) funk, shirk

    Antonyms

    * (to cause to become smaller) expand, grow, enlarge, stretch * (become smaller) expand, grow, enlarge, stretch

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • shrinkage; contraction; recoil
    • Yet almost wish, with sudden shrink , / That I had less to praise. — Leigh Hunt.
  • (slang, sometimes, pejorative) A psychiatrist or therapist; a head-shrinker.
    • You need to see a shrink .
    My shrink said that he was an enabler, bad for me.
  • * 1994 , (Green Day),
    • I went to a shrink , to analyze my dreams. He said it's lack of sex that's bringing my down.''

    Usage notes

    * The slang sense was originally pejorative, expressing a distrust of practitioners in the field. It is now not as belittling or trivializing.

    Synonyms

    * head-shrinker