hunker (down)

as in to crouch
to lie low with the limbs close to the body had to hunker down so no one would see him behind the gate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hunker (down)
Verb
  • Dutton’s wife and children crouched down on the floor of the car, but Dutton’s oldest son, 7 years old, was hysterical and kept trying to crawl out of the car.
    Sally Ventura June 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
  • The researchers found that when the barks played, incubating female curlews quickly crouched in the grass to camouflage themselves and protect their nests.
    Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • Tense scenes played out in the chamber as voting came to a standstill, dragging on for hours as holdout senators huddled for negotiations.
    Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2025
  • Tense scenes played out in the chamber as voting came to a standstill, dragging for hours as holdout senators huddled for negotiations.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 June 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Hunker (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hunker%20%28down%29. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

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