as in dipping
to sink or push (something) briefly into or as if into a liquid
dunking a doughnut in one's morning coffee
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of dunking
The title song was appropriately fun and frivolous for a movie that, among other things, featured Porky Pig dunking the basketball.
—
Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
Sarasota retrieved the rebound and finished the game with Greg Dauer dunking as its fans went wild.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2026
The set also captures the Big 12 fan fest outside the T-Mobile Center on Grand Boulevard, showing fans dunking, concerts and people enjoying the downtown Kansas City vibes.
—Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026
Wilson was hurt while dunking during a non-contact drill Thursday.
—ABC News, 7 Mar. 2026
The new jumbo-sized shrimp are hand-dipped in batter, rolled in coconut, and fried to a golden crisp, with a side of creole marmalade for dunking.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Mar. 2026
Ware had a quiet first half, with two points and two rebounds in 10 minutes, but came alive after intermission, dunking three times, hitting a three and collecting 12 points and 6 rebounds in nine second half minutes.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2026
The Spurs’ Carter Bryant moves the ball between his legs in midair before dunking during the all-star dunk contest on Saturday.
—Ronaldo Bolaños, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Johnson hit the court with rapper E-40, jumping and dunking over the rapper while posing for the cameras.
—Dan Woike, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
Sarasota retrieved the rebound and finished the game with Greg Dauer dunking as its fans went wild.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2026
The set also captures the Big 12 fan fest outside the T-Mobile Center on Grand Boulevard, showing fans dunking, concerts and people enjoying the downtown Kansas City vibes.
—Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026
Wilson was hurt while dunking during a non-contact drill Thursday.
—ABC News, 7 Mar. 2026
The new jumbo-sized shrimp are hand-dipped in batter, rolled in coconut, and fried to a golden crisp, with a side of creole marmalade for dunking.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Mar. 2026
Ware had a quiet first half, with two points and two rebounds in 10 minutes, but came alive after intermission, dunking three times, hitting a three and collecting 12 points and 6 rebounds in nine second half minutes.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2026
The Spurs’ Carter Bryant moves the ball between his legs in midair before dunking during the all-star dunk contest on Saturday.
—Ronaldo Bolaños, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Johnson hit the court with rapper E-40, jumping and dunking over the rapper while posing for the cameras.
—Dan Woike, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dunking
Verb
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At Dillon Reservoir, low snowpack paints a concerning picture, with statewide levels dipping to record lows.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
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Sisters in Yellow is her first novel that is truly plot driven, dipping into the noir genre, but it’s still interwoven with the complex internal life of her characters.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Rojas held his emotions at bay through spring training, immersing himself in the daily work.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
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The resulting works were breathtaking, immersing the viewer in luminous veils of paint that swept across the canvas, seeming to splash back up from the bottom, creating an enveloping sense of tranquility and awe that pushed against the jittery energy of Abstract Expressionism.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dunking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dunking. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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