hunkered (down)

Definition of hunkered (down)next
past tense of hunker (down)
as in crouched
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 hunkered (down)
Verb
  • Ten minutes before the start of Daniel Radcliffe’s one-man show on Broadway, Every Brilliant Thing, the actor is crouched in the aisle.
    Eliana Dockterman, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
  • There is a drawing of a child crouched on a ride-on suitcase, notes for a joke Fleming posted online in January.
    Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Babs Osborne, huddled on the telephone in the doorkeeper’s cubicle, was attempting, yet again, to get through to Stanislaus.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
  • With bombs raining down on Iraq, A-listers huddled with their teams to figure out the right note to strike.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 12 Mar. 2026
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

“Hunkered (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hunkered%20%28down%29. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

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