hunker down
phrasal 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
What better month to hunker down, swathed in a cozy sweater, with a warm drink and a good book in hand, than January?
—
Esme Benjamin, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
Capote was returning to Europe to escape the social whirl, hunker down, and work.
—Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026
The uncertainty has led ordinary Venezuelans to hunker down and stock up on basic supplies.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 5 Jan. 2026
But the ones that do get rewarded with a deep, meditative little cocktail, friendlier than a Toronto but still prickly with bitterness and stout with proof, a cocktail worth hunkering down with on these dark and interminable nights of January.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hunker down
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Esme Benjamin, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
Capote was returning to Europe to escape the social whirl, hunker down, and work.
—Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026
The uncertainty has led ordinary Venezuelans to hunker down and stock up on basic supplies.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 5 Jan. 2026
But the ones that do get rewarded with a deep, meditative little cocktail, friendlier than a Toronto but still prickly with bitterness and stout with proof, a cocktail worth hunkering down with on these dark and interminable nights of January.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 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 14 Jan. 2026.
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