hunker down
verb
hunkered down; hunkering down; hunkers down
chiefly US
1
: to lower the body to the ground by bending the legs
The hikers hunkered down under a cliff until the storm passed.
2
: to stay in a place for a period of time
The leaders hunkered down at a country estate for difficult peace negotiations.
Examples of hunker down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Spurs employed a zone against the Thunder, allowing Wembanyama to hunker down in the paint and block and alter shots.
—
Adam Zagoria, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Some residents hunkered down in their homes as police searched for Baker, and community events were canceled or postponed due to public safety concerns, reported the Honolulu Civil Beat.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 1 June 2026
All of these stats paint a picture of a nation full of tense, isolated individuals hunkering down at home because the idea of, say, going to a party—let alone throwing one—seems too daunting.
—Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026
So Beshey hunkered down and pulled Rex out.
—Alina Hartounian, NPR, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hunker down
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Adam Zagoria, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Some residents hunkered down in their homes as police searched for Baker, and community events were canceled or postponed due to public safety concerns, reported the Honolulu Civil Beat.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 1 June 2026
All of these stats paint a picture of a nation full of tense, isolated individuals hunkering down at home because the idea of, say, going to a party—let alone throwing one—seems too daunting.
—Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026
So Beshey hunkered down and pulled Rex out.
—Alina Hartounian, NPR, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hunker down
Cite this Entry
“Hunker down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunker%20down. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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