hunkering (down)

Definition of hunkering (down)next
present participle of hunker (down)
as in crouching
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 hunkering (down)
crouching
Verb
  • The viral moment of the banquet, captured on video and rebroadcast endlessly across Weibo, was Lei Jun walking up to a seated Musk, tapping him on the shoulder, and crouching half-down to take a selfie with him on a Xiaomi 17 Pro.
    Drew Bernstein, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
  • After he was hit in the left temple, Sykes, 39, could be seen crouching down on the stage.
    Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 13 May 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

“Hunkering (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hunkering%20%28down%29. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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