1
: a bin or compartment for storage
especially
: one on shipboard for the ship's fuel
2
a
: a protective embankment or dugout
especially
: a fortified chamber mostly below ground often built of reinforced concrete and provided with embrasures
b
: a sand trap or embankment constituting a hazard on a golf course
Examples of bunker in a Sentence
Noun
The ammunition is stored in concrete bunkers.
Verb
She bunkered her tee shot.
They bunkered just enough coal to get them to the port.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dave Skretta, The Denver Post, 14 Apr. 2024
His arms became a sort of trebuchet, flinging the ball 337 yards … over the bunker.
—Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 12 Apr. 2024
Vault-Tec planned for the latter two bunkers to be breeding grounds for making an ideal society.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
The anonymous tipster who first alerted Gup to the bunker’s existence has never been publicly identified.
—Emily Matchar, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024
The shortfall comes as Ukraine is on the defensive along the 600-mile front line in eastern Ukraine and is building additional fortifications, such as bunkers, trenches and minefields.
—Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
The workers had stumbled on three underground bunkers left from World War II, archaeologists said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
The first tropical links course of its kind, the layout boasts pot bunkers and sloping fairways and greens and is a favorite among Tour pros, including the Senior Open champion, Open champion, Ryder Cup captain, and Abaco Club Ambassador Darren Clarke, who calls the club home while not on tour.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2024
In the bunker, General Dvoretskiy pointed to communications equipment and large computer servers, some of which were financed by the C.I.A.
—Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
Dani Blum, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
People slept in their cars and vans, bunkered down at the Big Sur Lodge, which opened its conference center to stranded drivers while others found a spot with friends.
—Kristin J. Bender, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
The 2012 49ers bunkered at a French Quarter hotel in New Orleans before falling to the Baltimore Ravens 34-31.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2024
As the game lurched into the 70th and then 80th minute, Phoenix seemed content to bunker in a five-man back line and weather the San Diego storm.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2023
Several agencies are assisting with medical evacuations and conducting welfare checks as locals emerge after bunkering down amid Idalia.
—NBC News, 31 Aug. 2023
Vietnam will bunker against superior rivals and rely on the counter and getting the ball to forwards Nhu and Pham Hai Yen.
—John Powers, BostonGlobe.com, 20 July 2023
In recent years, Vladimir Putin has run much of his Presidency in the most splendid isolation, bunkered away in palaces from the wooded suburbs of Moscow to the shore of the Black Sea.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 24 June 2023
For the first three days of Sudan’s latest eruption of armed conflict, the 23-year-old dental student bunkered in his apartment in Khartoum, watching the fighting rage close to his neighborhood in the Sudanese capital but feeling relatively unconcerned.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2023
Noun
After his tee shot at the seventh bounded through the fairway, Woods dumped his approach in the bunker and made double bogey.
—Dave Skretta, The Denver Post, 14 Apr. 2024
His arms became a sort of trebuchet, flinging the ball 337 yards … over the bunker.
—Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 12 Apr. 2024
Vault-Tec planned for the latter two bunkers to be breeding grounds for making an ideal society.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
The anonymous tipster who first alerted Gup to the bunker’s existence has never been publicly identified.
—Emily Matchar, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024
The shortfall comes as Ukraine is on the defensive along the 600-mile front line in eastern Ukraine and is building additional fortifications, such as bunkers, trenches and minefields.
—Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
The workers had stumbled on three underground bunkers left from World War II, archaeologists said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
The first tropical links course of its kind, the layout boasts pot bunkers and sloping fairways and greens and is a favorite among Tour pros, including the Senior Open champion, Open champion, Ryder Cup captain, and Abaco Club Ambassador Darren Clarke, who calls the club home while not on tour.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2024
In the bunker, General Dvoretskiy pointed to communications equipment and large computer servers, some of which were financed by the C.I.A.
—Michael Schwirtz, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024
Verb
Often, Webster bunkered in her room, even when her bandmates went to eat.
—Dani Blum, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
People slept in their cars and vans, bunkered down at the Big Sur Lodge, which opened its conference center to stranded drivers while others found a spot with friends.
—Kristin J. Bender, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
The 2012 49ers bunkered at a French Quarter hotel in New Orleans before falling to the Baltimore Ravens 34-31.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2024
As the game lurched into the 70th and then 80th minute, Phoenix seemed content to bunker in a five-man back line and weather the San Diego storm.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2023
Several agencies are assisting with medical evacuations and conducting welfare checks as locals emerge after bunkering down amid Idalia.
—NBC News, 31 Aug. 2023
Vietnam will bunker against superior rivals and rely on the counter and getting the ball to forwards Nhu and Pham Hai Yen.
—John Powers, BostonGlobe.com, 20 July 2023
In recent years, Vladimir Putin has run much of his Presidency in the most splendid isolation, bunkered away in palaces from the wooded suburbs of Moscow to the shore of the Black Sea.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 24 June 2023
For the first three days of Sudan’s latest eruption of armed conflict, the 23-year-old dental student bunkered in his apartment in Khartoum, watching the fighting rage close to his neighborhood in the Sudanese capital but feeling relatively unconcerned.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bunker.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Scots bonker chest, box
First Known Use
Noun
1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1886, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Phrases Containing bunker
Articles Related to bunker
Dictionary Entries Near bunker
Cite this Entry
“Bunker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bunker. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
bunker
noun
bun·ker
ˈbəŋ-kər
1
: a large bin (as for coal or oil on a ship)
2
: a shelter dug into the ground and made strong against attack
3
Biographical Definition
More from Merriam-Webster on bunker
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for bunker
Nglish: Translation of bunker for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of bunker for Arabic Speakers
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