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Glite Dictionary
to shrinkwrap

to shrinkwrap

5.1
To wrap something tightly in thin plastic that gets smaller when heated
  • verb
  • /ˈʃrɪŋkˌræp/
translation icon : encoger
  • They shrinkwrap each package before shipping to protect it from moisture.

Examples

  • Workers shrinkwrapped pallets of goods before loading them onto the truck.

  • The company decided to shrinkwrap the manuals with the DVDs as a single unit.

  • Please shrinkwrap the items before shipping them.

  • The factory shrinkwraps all its products for safety.

  • The factory decided to shrinkwrap the new toy sets to keep them safe during transport.

  • Before sending the fragile items, make sure to shrinkwrap them securely to prevent any damage.

  • They always shrinkwrap the boxes tightly to avoid moisture getting inside.

Synonyms

to wrap up
vsto shrinkwrap
22 3.6

Cover something completely with paper, cloth or another material to protect it

uses heated plastic film to shrink tightly and seal the object
to sleeve
vsto shrinkwrap
1 5.5

To put something into a cover to protect it

wraps object tightly with heat-shrinking plastic for a secure seal
to enwrap
vsto shrinkwrap
1 8.0

To cover something completely, often by surrounding it with cloth or paper

specifically uses heat-shrinking plastic to form a tight covering
to overwrap
vsto shrinkwrap
4.4

To cover something with an extra layer to protect it or make it look nicer

is a single tight plastic film sealed by heat for a secure cover

How Tight

to seal in
15 3.9
to seal
457 2.5
to shrinkwrap
5.1
to wrap
729 1.0
to cover
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

shrinkwrap infinitive
shrinkwrapped past
shrinkwrapped past participle
shrinkwrapping present participle
shrinkwraps third person singular

Morphology

shrinkwrap = shrink + wrap (transparent) = shrink + wrap

The verb is directly composed of 'shrink' + 'wrap' with the straightforward meaning 'to wrap so that the wrapping shrinks', which is easily derivable by learners.

Etymology

Shrinkwrap comes from the simple words shrink ('to become smaller') and wrap ('to cover something'). It refers to a plastic film that 'shrinks' when heated and 'wraps' tightly around an object, so to shrinkwrap something is to cover it with a tight, secure plastic covering.