bonk

verb

ˈbäŋk How to pronounce bonk (audio)
ˈbȯŋk
bonked; bonking; bonks
1
transitive informal : hit
Johnson isn't the only one who has noticed the glut of acorns this fall. Walkers are getting bonked on the head, and cars are getting pelted by the falling nuts.Lori Stabile
2
intransitive informal : to experience sudden, severe fatigue during strenuous activity
Two hours into the ride, you encounter a sudden loss of energy that leaves you weak, dizzy and nauseated. You've hit the wall, or "bonked."Sharon Cohen
3
transitive chiefly British, informal : to have sexual intercourse with (someone)

Examples of bonk in a Sentence

He bonked him on the head. The golf ball bonked the hood of the car.
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.
In other words, she got bonked on the head and now is the Terminator. Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 15 Apr. 2025 Perkins may attempt comedy, but his jokes land like a Nerf missile bonking your head. Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 7 Feb. 2025 Stelton wrote that the short-term chance of an eruption is akin to the probability of getting bonked in the head by a baseball — while standing outside a major league stadium. Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025 Miss Manners cannot entirely guarantee, however, that your finger will not bonk your nose instead — particularly after the second or third old-fashioned. Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 2 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for bonk

Word History

Etymology

imitative

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bonk was in 1929

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bonk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bonk. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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