hunkered (down)

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
  • Bindi, who won season 21 of the reality dance show with partner Derek Hough, smiled with her arm around Robert, who crouched down next to his dancing partner, Witney Carson.
    Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Rather than playing her violin on her shoulder, the violinist crouched on a rug with Belaji, facing the instrument toward the floor.
    Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Late Friday night, a few dozen Toronto Blue Jays fans huddled outside Rogers Centre, listening to Sportsnet commentator Buck Martinez on the speakers.
    Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
  • In the weeks that followed, Farber and his teammates huddled, brainstorming ways to support Ben.
    Nick Stern, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 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

“Hunkered (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hunkered%20%28down%29. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

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