dunk

1 of 2

verb

ˈdəŋk 

dunked; dunking; dunks

transitive verb

1

: to dip (something, such as a piece of bread) into a beverage while eating

2

: to dip or submerge temporarily in liquid

3

: to throw (a basketball) into the basket from above the rim see also dunk on

intransitive verb

1

: to submerge oneself in water

2

: to make a dunk shot in basketball

dunk

2 of 2

noun

: the act or action of dunking

especially : dunk shot

Synonyms of dunk

Verb

• dip
• duck

Examples of dunk in a Sentence

Verb

I like to dunk my doughnut in my coffee.

She dunked him while they were swimming.

He dunked the ladle into the soup.

He could dunk when he was 16.

Noun

The pass led to a dunk.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) dunks the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in Dallas. —Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026

James was at it again with a tip dunk off a Deandre Ayton missed shot late in the second quarter. —Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026

Noun

And when the Tigers’ 7-foot center Shawn Phillips slammed down a dunk to tie the game 32-32 early in the second half, pure pandemonium. —Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2026

Anderson’s steal led to a fast-break dunk by Petty that put Texas Tech up 77-64. —Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Pennsylvania German dunke, from Middle High German dunken, from Old High German dunkōn — more at tinge

First Known Use

Verb

1926, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1932, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing dunk

• dunk on
• dunk shot
• slam dunk

Rhymes for dunk

• bunk
• chunk
• clunk
• drunk
• hunk
• junk
• punk
• shrunk
• slunk
• spunk
• sunk
• trunk

Kids Definition

dunk

verb

ˈdəŋk

1

: to dip (as a doughnut) into liquid (as coffee)

2

: to plunge oneself into water