plunk

verb

ˈpləŋk 

variants or plonk

ˈpläŋk 

ˈplȯŋk

plunked or plonked; plunking or plonking; plunks or plonks

transitive verb

1

: to pluck or hit so as to produce a quick, hollow, metallic, or harsh sound

2

: to set down suddenly : plump

intransitive verb

1

: to make a plunking sound

2

: to drop abruptly : dive

3

: to come out in favor of someone or something : plump

—used with for

plunk noun

plunker noun

Synonyms of plunk

• plop

Examples of plunk in a Sentence

You've been plunking that banjo all afternoon!

She plunked out a little tune on the piano.

plunking away on a guitar

The pitcher plunked the first two batters of the game.

She plunked a mug of coffee on the counter.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Chanticleers got hit by 179 pitches last season — en route to an appearance the College World Series finals — and have been plunked 135 times so far in 2026. —Mitch Light, New York Times, 28 May 2026

Rumfield, who got plunked in the right hand by Emmet Sheehan, had X-rays taken at Dodger Stadium. —Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 26 May 2026

Red Sox hitters have reached base via plunking 32 times, sixth most in the majors. —Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 26 May 2026

Arraez painfully reached base when he was plunked in the lower back, the second time Chicago’s Noah Schultz had hit Arraez in that spot. —Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 24 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

imitative

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing plunk

• plunk down

Rhymes for plunk

• bunk
• chunk
• clunk
• drunk
• dunk
• hunk
• junk
• punk
• shrunk
• slunk
• spunk
• sunk

Kids Definition

plunk

verb

ˈpləŋk 

variants or plonk

ˈpläŋk 

ˈplȯŋk

1

: to make or cause to make a hollow, metallic, or harsh sound

plunk the strings of a banjo

2

: to drop or set down suddenly

plunk a suitcase on the bench

plunk noun