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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dunking
And he was not finished dunking.
—
Oc Register, 31 Jan. 2026
The Hornets are a fun watch — on the break, hitting 3-pointers, dunking and competing.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 30 Jan. 2026
In homage to the Dead, Speirs created tie-dye shirts with an image of a dunking skeleton and the colors of the Lithuanian flag, a version of which still sells.
—Alex Valdes, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026
Many basketball and football athletes are now selling their passing, tackling and dunking skills each year to the highest bidder.
—Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 16 Jan. 2026
And from the looks of it, Jenner may already be over dunking her face for TikTok—and in general.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 14 Jan. 2026
These cookies come out crisp and crunchy – perfect for dunking in milk or coffee.
—Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
One of the major contributors has been 6-foot-3 junior guard Johnny Thyfault, who’s averaging 16 points and has become a fan favorite because of his dunking skills.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Marquette grabbed eight offensive rebounds to the Huskies’ four in the first half and was able to put together a 10-3 run in the final minutes, cutting its deficit to five before Reed scored three unanswered, dunking in the final seconds to push the difference back to eight at halftime.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2026
Oc Register, 31 Jan. 2026
The Hornets are a fun watch — on the break, hitting 3-pointers, dunking and competing.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 30 Jan. 2026
In homage to the Dead, Speirs created tie-dye shirts with an image of a dunking skeleton and the colors of the Lithuanian flag, a version of which still sells.
—Alex Valdes, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026
Many basketball and football athletes are now selling their passing, tackling and dunking skills each year to the highest bidder.
—Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 16 Jan. 2026
And from the looks of it, Jenner may already be over dunking her face for TikTok—and in general.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 14 Jan. 2026
These cookies come out crisp and crunchy – perfect for dunking in milk or coffee.
—Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
One of the major contributors has been 6-foot-3 junior guard Johnny Thyfault, who’s averaging 16 points and has become a fan favorite because of his dunking skills.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Marquette grabbed eight offensive rebounds to the Huskies’ four in the first half and was able to put together a 10-3 run in the final minutes, cutting its deficit to five before Reed scored three unanswered, dunking in the final seconds to push the difference back to eight at halftime.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dunking
Verb
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Pizza boxes were strewn about from the night before, and a few straggling musicians and associates were puttering around, dipping their feet in the infinity pool.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
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Yesterday's -5° low temperature in Pittsburgh was the 7th day so far this winter season with temperatures dipping to 0° or below.—
Ron Smiley,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But Carew’s main objective is to continue immersing himself ever deeper into his new craft.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
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The new installment promises challenges across diverse locations, from navigating the Angolan desert in track vehicles to immersing in Malaysia’s automotive scene and testing American performance cars in California.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dunking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dunking. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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