hunkered (down)

verb

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)
  1. crouched
  2. huddled
Verb
  • The girl must have been crouched down and gotten the gun.
    — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026
  • Brandon Wolf crouched in the corner of the nightclub bathroom for what felt like forever as gunshots rang out.
    — Natalia Jaramillo, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 June 2026
Definition of crouched
Verb
  • Ambulances were on the scene on Wednesday morning to carry away the bodies of victims, while some community members huddled in groups on the streets.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 10 June 2026
  • Ambulances were on the scene on Wednesday morning to carry away the victims' bodies while community members huddled in groups on the streets.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 June 2026
Definition of huddled
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.

Browse Nearby Words

hunker (down)
hunkered (down)
hunkering (down)
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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 16 Jun. 2026.

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