chunk

noun

\ˈchəŋk

Definition of chunk

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a short thick piece or lump (as of wood or coal)

2 : a large noteworthy quantity or part bet a sizable chunk of money on the race

3 : a strong thickset horse usually smaller than a draft horse

4 psychology : a unit of information retained in the memory and easily recalled The process of memorizing may be simply the formation of chunks, or groups of items that go together, until there are few enough chunks so that we can recall all the items.— Marilyn Sternglass A chunk represents a recoding of information. For example, the sequence 149217761941 would, for most of us, be a snap to remember. Almost automatically we'd recode the 12 digits into three chunks, 1492, 1776, 1941, all key dates in US history.— Robert Kanigel

chunk

verb

chunked; chunking; chunks

Definition of chunk (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to make a dull plunging or explosive sound the rhythmic chunking of thrown quoits— John Updike

transitive verb

1 : to mishit (a golf ball or shot) by striking the ground behind the ball

2 psychology : to organize (separate units of information) into a single large unit that is retained in the memory and easily recalled To recall a 10-digit telephone number, for instance, a person could chunk the digits into three groups: the area code (such as 021), then a three-digit chunk (639) and a four-digit chunk (4345).— Jonathan K. Foster

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Examples of chunk in a Sentence

Noun

She cut the fruit into large chunks. She spends a good chunk of her day on the phone. He devoted a large chunk of time to the project.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The ceiling portion of the mural was exposed to the elements for about two years, Coutts said, and there were big chunks of paint coming off, while the side panels had experienced some damage from light. — Cassie Dickman, sacbee, "Iconic Tower Records mural in downtown is getting a little love," 10 July 2018 Turkey tips are chunks of boneless turkey cut into bite-size pieces. — Liz Biro, Indianapolis Star, "Insane new Indiana State Fair foods that will complete your summer," 9 July 2018 The region’s signature hiking route is a 25-mile chunk of the Lost Coast Trail, between Mattole River Beach to the north and Black Sands Beach to the south. — Harriot Manley, SFChronicle.com, "Favorite escapes for Northern California’s eco-minded congressman," 21 June 2018 So there is a chunk of media that is verbally and overtly in support of Donald Trump. — Fox News, "Two FBI agents sought to 'stop' Trump," 18 June 2018 And from the first draft through the last draft, there was a chunk of the movie ... that showed him in the Imperial Academy doing some sort of flight things, sort of disobeying a direct order, and getting kicked out. — Graeme Mcmillan, WIRED, "Cantina Talk: That Big Solo Cameo Was a Last-Minute Decision," 4 June 2018 These three California seats are just a small chunk of that. — Harry Enten, CNN, "California's top two primary could be a disaster for Democrats. It could be for Republicans as well.," 1 June 2018 In previous generations, when workers traditionally retired at 65, the 20s were a significant chunk of one’s career. — Jeffrey J. Selingo, Washington Post, "The story must be told.," 25 May 2018 That vast sum, from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is the biggest chunk of the $100bn that the Vision Fund has now raised. — The Economist, "The impact of Masayoshi Son’s $100bn tech fund will be profound," 10 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

One particular motif has Camille driving around town, chunking the same Led Zeppelin tape into her car stereo. — James Poniewozik, New York Times, "‘Sharp Objects,’ a Mesmerizing Southern Thriller, Cuts Slow but Deep," 5 July 2018 But the software can chunk them together in various ways to make possible letters. — Sam Kean, The Atlantic, "Artificial Intelligence Is Unlocking the Vatican's Secret Archives," 30 Apr. 2018 The tree chunks Answer Man has seen have mostly been on telecommunications lines, which Jamerson said Pepco’s crews don’t touch. — John Kelly, Washington Post, "Ever noticed chunks of trees on utility pole wires? What’s up with that?," 2 July 2018 Cruise boats take day trips to some of Southcentral Alaska's biggest and brightest glaciers, which send chunks the size of cars into the water with dramatic splashes. — Josh Niva, Anchorage Daily News, "Getting your outdoor adventure fix in Southcentral Alaska," 2 May 2018 Top those with the protein (could be chunked or whole filet). — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit, "Ponzu Roasted Salmon for Two," 19 Mar. 2018 The skewers of pork belly were another beer cuisine winner, the tender chunks glazed in a sweet dark reduction of the colonial-theme spruce ale. — Craig Laban, Philly.com, "Yards brewery is better, not just bigger, with move and ambitious new taproom," 23 Mar. 2018 But the conditions were deteriorating as snow that had warmed and melted during the day began to freeze into chunks the size of small hailstones. — Elliott D. Woods, Outside Online, "How Mike Foote Set an Obscure 24-Hour Skiing Record," 20 Mar. 2018 For the last eleven years, everyone’s favorite purveyor of scattered, smothered, covered, and chunked hash browns transforms from a beloved greasy spoon to a fine dining establishment brimming with romance. — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, "Waffle House Is Pulling Out The White Tablecloths and Flowers for Valentine’s Day Again," 7 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chunk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.