shrink-wrap

verb

ˈshriŋk-ˌrap How to pronounce shrink-wrap (audio)
 especially Southern  ˈsriŋk-
shrink-wrapped; shrink-wrapping; shrink-wraps

transitive verb

: to wrap (something, such as a book or a piece of meat) in tough clear plastic film that is then shrunk (as by heating) to form a tightly fitting package
shrink-wrap noun

Examples of shrink-wrap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Seasoned Lamb Shoulder Rack This lamb shoulder has travelled from Australia to be with us, shrink-wrapped with a coating of herbs—thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, celery seed—and sesame seeds. Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 July 2025 For context, the e-tail Goliath’s plastic packaging—think plastic mailers, plastic shrink-wrap, plastic bags and plastic bubble-wrap—totaled 709 million pounds in 2021, an 18 percent uptick from 2020, according to Oceana. Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019 Symbol 4 – Low-density polyethylene, or LDPE, is often used in plastic bags and shrink-wrap. Alex Jordan, The Conversation, 16 Apr. 2025 To seal a window using plastic shrink-wrap, follow these steps: Clean the window. Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Jan. 2025 The sweater is shrink-wrapped in a lump, giving it the look of a package of frozen fish. Mia Sato, The Verge, 19 Dec. 2024 Every day, people interact with various forms of food packaging, from shrink-wrap to plastic takeout containers. Becky Upham, EverydayHealth.com, 20 Sep. 2024 Vinyl itself is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a plastic polymer, and often comes wrapped in single-use plastic shrink-wrap. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2024 Billie Eilish recently spoke with Billboard about her decision to use 100% recycled vinyl, plus recycled scraps for colored variants and shrink-wrap packaging made from sugar cane, materials that Audiodrome is also using. Katie Bain, Billboard, 22 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shrink-wrap was in 1959

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shrink-wrap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrink-wrap. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!