sunken

adjective

sunk·​en ˈsəŋ-kən 

1

: submerged

especially : lying at the bottom of a body of water

2

a

: hollow, recessed

sunken cheeks

b

: lying in a depression

a sunken garden

c

: settled below the normal level

d

: constructed below the normal floor level

a sunken living room

Synonyms of sunken

• concave
• hollow
• depressed

Examples of sunken in a Sentence

Her eyes were sunken and lifeless.

our convalescing guest's sunken cheeks soon filled out on a diet of my mother's cooking

Recent Examples on the Web

Turning its back on views of the Santa Rita Mountains, the home’s interior revolved around a dim central kitchen and an awkward sunken garden bounded by stout masonry columns that held up the roof but restricted movement through the space. — Fred Albert, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026

The villa is still being excavated and studied, but archaeologists have so far uncovered a grand entrance hall with an atrium and sunken basin, known as an impluvium, surrounded by a mosaic floor with black and white botanical and geometric designs. — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 19 June 2026

Swimming in the small lap pool or having drinks on the sunken deck around the campfire? — Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 19 June 2026

There are family-style rooms with bunk beds, suites with larger seating areas, single-bed rooms with window benches, A-frame lodges with sunken living spaces, and Blue Lagoon skincare and haircare in all of the bathrooms. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sonkyn, past participle of sinken to sink

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sunken

• drunken
• shrunken

Kids Definition

sunken

adjective

sunk·​en ˈsəŋ-kən 

1

: being submerged

especially : lying at the bottom of a body of water

sunken ships

2

: fallen in : hollow

sunken cheeks

3

a

: lying in a depression

a sunken garden

b

: constructed below the normal floor level

a sunken living room