as in dipping
to sink or push (something) briefly into or as if into a liquid
dunking a doughnut in one's morning coffee
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Recent Examples of dunking
From 1967 to 2008, the Seattle Supersonics became known for their green and yellow uniforms along with making the NBA Finals against Jordan and the Bulls while led by Hall of Fame point guard Gary Payton and dunking All-Star Shawn Kemp.
—
Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
The dazzling laser design frames a dunking Michael Jordan.
—Brooks Peck, New York Times, 2 June 2026
The victim described, matter-of-factly, how her trafficker had cut up jalapeños and tossed them into a toilet before banging her head against the inside of the bowl and dunking it into the water.
—Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Known for his athleticism, Christian also has become a force dunking off lobs.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
For those willing to go a step further, try dunking your face in a bowl of ice water.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Be sure to have plenty of maple syrup for plenty of dunking.
—Krissy Tiglias, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
Cold water is another option—dunking your face into a bowl of it triggers the mammalian dive reflex, a physiological response that slows the heart rate and interrupts the body’s stress response.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 10 Apr. 2026
On the side, there’s a cup of mushroom stock fortified with soy sauce, molasses, rosemary and a touch of cayenne pepper for dunking.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 18 June 2026
The dazzling laser design frames a dunking Michael Jordan.
—Brooks Peck, New York Times, 2 June 2026
The victim described, matter-of-factly, how her trafficker had cut up jalapeños and tossed them into a toilet before banging her head against the inside of the bowl and dunking it into the water.
—Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Known for his athleticism, Christian also has become a force dunking off lobs.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
For those willing to go a step further, try dunking your face in a bowl of ice water.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Be sure to have plenty of maple syrup for plenty of dunking.
—Krissy Tiglias, Southern Living, 17 Apr. 2026
Cold water is another option—dunking your face into a bowl of it triggers the mammalian dive reflex, a physiological response that slows the heart rate and interrupts the body’s stress response.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 10 Apr. 2026
On the side, there’s a cup of mushroom stock fortified with soy sauce, molasses, rosemary and a touch of cayenne pepper for dunking.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dunking
Verb
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Tuesday is expected to be just as hot, with temperatures reaching 97 degrees and overnight lows dipping to around 64.—
Angela Rodriguez,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2026
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Wirth suggested that efforts to offset even higher oil prices by dipping into strategic reserves could begin to lose their impact by July.—
Steve Kopack,
NBC news,
15 June 2026
Verb
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To soak your clothes prior to washing, fill a bucket or your bathtub with cool to warm water and add 1 cup of vinegar before immersing your clothes into the solution.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
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Zoh Amba spent their Kingsport, Tennessee adolescence diving into YouTube, immersing themselves in videos of jazz saxophonists like Albert Ayler and Charlie Parker.—
Hannah Jocelyn,
Pitchfork,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dunking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dunking. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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