plunk

verb

ˈpləŋk 

variants or plonk

ˈpläŋk 

ˈplȯŋk

plunked or plonked; plunking or plonking; plunks or plonks

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

plunk noun

plunker noun

Synonyms of plunk

• plop

Examples of plunk in a Sentence

You've been plunking that banjo all afternoon!

She plunked out a little tune on the piano.

plunking away on a guitar

The pitcher plunked the first two batters of the game.

She plunked a mug of coffee on the counter.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adell, who homered in the third inning, took three straight balls from O’Brien (3-4) before getting plunked by the next pitch to force in the winning run. — Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026

The result was a complex of squat, one- or two-level buildings with metal and glass siding, surrounded by a moat of parking spaces, with Google signs plunked into the dirt out front. — Claire Stapleton, New Yorker, 18 July 2026

Bottalico plunked Bonds during a game between the Phillies and San Francisco Giants, sparking the only time Bonds charged the mound. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 15 July 2026

And in the film’s poignant final scene, Joe despondently plays his piano − only for Angela to sit beside him and start plunking along. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 11 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

imitative

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing plunk

• plunk down

Rhymes for plunk

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

Kids Definition

plunk

verb

ˈpləŋk 

variants or plonk

ˈpläŋk 

ˈplȯŋk

1

: to make or cause to make a hollow, metallic, or harsh sound

plunk the strings of a banjo

2

: to drop or set down suddenly

plunk a suitcase on the bench

plunk noun