plonk

verb

\ ˈpläŋk

How to pronounce plonk (audio)

, ˈplȯŋk \

variant of plunk

transitive verb

1 : to pluck or hit so as to produce a quick, hollow, metallic, or harsh sound

2 : to set down suddenly : plump

intransitive verb

1 : to make a plunking sound

2 : to drop abruptly : dive

3 : to come out in favor of someone or something : plump —used with for

plonk

noun

\ ˈpläŋk

How to pronounce plonk (audio)

, ˈplȯŋk \

Definition of plonk (Entry 2 of 2)

chiefly British

: cheap or inferior wine

Examples of plonk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Later, microphones picked up a booming plonk when Cody Parkey’s kick hit the right upright on a point-after attempt. — Marc Bona, cleveland, "How did NBC do with its Browns-Giants coverage?," 21 Dec. 2020 These whiskey makers churned out dozens of different brands ranging from headache-inducing plonk to venerable greats such as Redbreast and Jameson. — Russ Parsons, Los Angeles Times, "Irish whiskey makers take their shot at a bold makeover," 5 Nov. 2020 In the 1980s, the Okanagan Valley, which extends about 125 miles north from the border with Washington State, was known for its apple and peach orchards, bargain lakeside beach vacations and wine dismissed by oenophiles as undrinkable plonk. — Dan Bilefsky, New York Times, "Canada’s Napa Valley Seeks Elusive Audience: Canadian Wine Drinkers," 19 Sep. 2020 When dusk would hit, those just off a long day of work could knock on the sturdy wooden shutter and throw down a couple of Florin for a generous pour of family plonk, passed over by a servant on the other side. — Erin Florio, Condé Nast Traveler, "Florence's Newest Outdoor Drinking Trend Is Also Its Oldest," 21 Jan. 2020 At that time white grapes made up the majority of the region’s plantings, but most of those were destined for distillation or simple plonk. — Fortune, "White Bordeaux Wines Are Picking Up Steam. Here’s What You Should Know," 22 Sep. 2019 Keg wine has a stigma to overcome: the kegging or bagging of wine has long been synonymous with large industrial estates selling their run-off plonk as a cheap addendum. — Jordan Michelman, latimes.com, "Forget bottles, cans and boxes: Kegged wine is what's next," 21 June 2019 Of course the magnum (a double-size bottle) must be a wine of quality, not some supersize grocery-store plonk. — Lettie Teague, WSJ, "The Wines We’ll Be Drinking in 2019," 19 Dec. 2018 Among whites, sauvignon blanc was the star, although chenin blanc, known locally as steen, was by far the most widely planted, having arrived in the 17th century with the earliest Cape settlers, who mainly used it to make cheap plonk and brandy. — Jay Mcinerney, Town & Country, "Why You Should be Drinking South African Chardonnay," 23 June 2017

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

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Cite this Entry

“Plonk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plonk. Accessed 21 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for plonk

plonk

noun

English Language Learners Definition of plonk

chiefly British, informal : cheap wine that is not of good quality

See the full definition for plonk in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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