: filthy, sticky, or greasy matter
gunky adjective

Examples of gunk in a Sentence

The engine was all full of gunk. I need to wipe this gunk off my hands.
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.
When you’re done, simply pop open the large dustbin and empty debris directly into the trash—no tugging out tangled hair or gunk required. Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025 If regular maintenance doesn’t occur, gunk can build up in cells, affecting performance. Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 How does Ishmael, in Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, carry me through his pages-long descriptions of the weird gunk inside a sperm whale’s head? Vauhini Vara, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025 Plenty of people will happily hop into the gunk with them. Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gunk

Word History

Etymology

from Gunk, trademark for a cleaning solvent

First Known Use

1943, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gunk was in 1943

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gunk. Accessed 30 Oct. 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!