General shrinkage:
* Shrink: This is the most general term.
* Contract: This suggests a more deliberate or controlled shrinking.
* Diminish: This implies a reduction in size, amount, or intensity.
* Dwindle: This suggests a gradual and steady decrease, often to a point of insignificance.
Specific contexts:
* Wane: This refers to the gradual decrease of something like the moon or a feeling.
* Attenuate: This means to become thinner or weaker.
* Depreciate: This describes a decrease in value over time.
* Deflate: This implies a loss of volume or air, like a balloon.
* Withers: This suggests a gradual shrinking and weakening, often due to aging or lack of care.
Figurative language:
* Fade: This suggests a gradual disappearance or loss of intensity.
* Ebbed: This implies a receding or flowing back, often of a tide or emotion.
The best word to use will depend on the specific situation.