Reducing　or　eliminating　cracks　caused　by　shrinkage　of　cementitious　materials　remains　a　daunting　challenge　for　construction　engineers.　Drying　shrinkage　and　autogenous　shrinkage　are　the　main　shrinkage　types　in　the　service　process　of　cement-based　materials,　which　have　a　great　impact　on　engineering　applications.　If　cracks　in　concrete　generate　by　drying　or　autogenous　shrinkage,　the　mechanical　properties,　water　resistance　and　durability　of　concrete　will　be　also　affected.　It　is　an　effective　method　to　use　chemical　admixtures　to　inhibit　the　shrinkage　of　cement-based　materials.　Polycarboxylate　plasticizer　(PCE)　is　an　important　chemical　admixture　in　cement-based　materials　and　is　widely　used　in　practical　engineering.　It　can　bring　great　value　by　reducing　the　shrinkage　effect　through　molecular　design.　Through　our　innovative　design,　a　series　of　shrinkage-reducing　polycarboxylate　superplasticizers　(SRPs)　were　synthesized,　their　molecular　structures　were　confirmed　by　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FTIR)　and　their　molecular　properties　were　determined　by　gel　permeation　chromatography　(GPC).　Furthermore,　the　shrinkage　performances　at　different　ages　of　the　mortars　containing　the　synthesized　SRPs　with　different　structures　were　systematically　evaluated.　The　results　showed　that　compared　with　the　blank　sample,　the　dry　shrinkage　rate　and　free　shrinkage　rate　of　the　mortars　containing　SRP　decreased　by　over　20%　and　15%,　respectively.　Additionally,　the　shrinkage　rates　of　the　mortars　containing　SRP　were　significantly　lower　than　that　of　the　mortar　containing　conventional　PCE,　and　moreover,　the　water-reducing　performance　was　improved　compared　to　conventional　PCE.　Based　on　the　experimental　results　of　surface　tension　and　evaporation　rate　of　different　SRP　solutions,　the　mechanism　of　the　shrinkage-reducing　effect　was　probed,　as　expected　to　provide　guidance　for　the　design　and　development　of　new　shrinkage-reducing　admixtures.