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

Phillips confirmed that authorities had also located the sunken MV Barima itself. — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026

Between summer heat, sporadic rainfall, vacations and inconsistent watering, some of us are noticing black sunken patches on the blossom end (bottoms) of our ripening fruit. — Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026

However, local authorities have continued recovery efforts while also searching for the sunken vessel. — James Ward, USA Today, 18 July 2026

The San Francisco Police Department is working with the state Office of Emergency Services to locate the sunken boat. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 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