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

In an Instagram Reel that could strike fear into the hearts of future Texas Tech opponents, Okechukwu is shown dunking effortlessly and barely even leaving the floor. —Alex Valdes, New York Times, 1 Jan. 2026

James threw down a baseline reverse dunk off Doncic’s pinpoint pass from beyond midcourt during the quarter. —Dan Arritt, Oc Register, 29 Dec. 2025

Noun

The best might have been pulled off by Nick Pringle midway through the first half after Amaree Abram passed to 6-8 freshman DeWayne Brown II in the lane for what looked like prime dunk material. —Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 4 Jan. 2026

The Ducks outscored Maryland, 32-12, in the paint, accumulating nine layups and three dunks. —Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 3 Jan. 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

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