as in fading
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
1
as in deteriorating
to become worse or of less value
his fortunes have steadily sunk since the breakup of his business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in plunging
to go to a lower level especially abruptly
I had just bought a bundle of shares of the stock when its price sank like a rock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stifling
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
sinks his pride and makes the first step towards a reconciliation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in vanishing
to cease to be visible
that evening we sat on the beach, dreamily watching the sun sink beneath the horizon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in reducing
to diminish the price or value of
the slightest nick will sink the price of a piece of Tiffany glass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in humiliating
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
the revelation that he has been embezzling for years definitely sinks him in my opinion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in falling
to lead or extend downward
the road sinks abruptly after that curve
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in weakening
to lose bodily strength or vigor
the old woman only sunk further after she was moved to the nursing home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of sinking
Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
Dyer notes that Cox may well have been confused by the mental and physical trauma of the sinking and the deprivations of five days adrift.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Apr. 2026
Speaker Emily Coughlan will recap the dramatic 1912 sinking of the oceanliner and tell stories of survivors who eventually made it to Central Florida.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
The sinking occurred off the coastal city of Bodrum, a popular Turkish vacation destination.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line are also off course, running aground and sinking.
—Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026
The Coast Guard and Massachusetts Environmental Police are investigating the sinking of the Yankee Rose.
—CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
Some observers Thursday were pointing to parallels between the sinking of the Dena and Britain’s destruction of the Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano during the Falklands War in 1982.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
Indian opposition leaders, however, on Thursday questioned the government’s lack of response to the incident, saying the sinking of the warship so close to India’s maritime neighborhood warranted an official statement.
—Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Roger Simmons, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026
The firm foam prevents the hips and waist from sinking, while softer foam under the shoulders helps to alleviate pressure.
—Charlotte Maracina, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
The ship suffered substantial damage, and the Reagan administration retaliated by damaging or sinking three Iranian warships and three oil platforms, drastically reducing Tehran’s ability to engage in the gulf.
—Dalia Abdelwahab, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
In it, a former summer resident returns to a coastal hamlet, now sinking under the sea, sparks memories and desires in a fisherwoman and her young grand-daughter.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
The unsinkable ship was sinking.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Apr. 2026
Unlike other methods for sinking deep shafts, Gangtie Jiliang is built specifically to tackle hard rock.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Apr. 2026
Brent was last above $98 a barrel, after sinking 13% on Wednesday as the truce was announced.
—Jake Lloyd-Smith, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
ServiceNow was one of the worst performers on the S&P 500, sinking more than 8%.
—Sean Conlon,lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
To keep the poly from taking on water and sinking, use pool balls and blow-up rafts to support the poly.
—Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
Dyer notes that Cox may well have been confused by the mental and physical trauma of the sinking and the deprivations of five days adrift.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Apr. 2026
Speaker Emily Coughlan will recap the dramatic 1912 sinking of the oceanliner and tell stories of survivors who eventually made it to Central Florida.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
The sinking occurred off the coastal city of Bodrum, a popular Turkish vacation destination.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line are also off course, running aground and sinking.
—Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026
The Coast Guard and Massachusetts Environmental Police are investigating the sinking of the Yankee Rose.
—CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
Some observers Thursday were pointing to parallels between the sinking of the Dena and Britain’s destruction of the Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano during the Falklands War in 1982.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
Indian opposition leaders, however, on Thursday questioned the government’s lack of response to the incident, saying the sinking of the warship so close to India’s maritime neighborhood warranted an official statement.
—Sheikh Saaliq, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
The ocean liner hit an iceberg in the early hours of April 15, resulting in the ship sinking on its maiden voyage and resulting the deaths of 1,500 passengers and crew.
—Roger Simmons, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026
The firm foam prevents the hips and waist from sinking, while softer foam under the shoulders helps to alleviate pressure.
—Charlotte Maracina, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
The ship suffered substantial damage, and the Reagan administration retaliated by damaging or sinking three Iranian warships and three oil platforms, drastically reducing Tehran’s ability to engage in the gulf.
—Dalia Abdelwahab, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
In it, a former summer resident returns to a coastal hamlet, now sinking under the sea, sparks memories and desires in a fisherwoman and her young grand-daughter.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026
The unsinkable ship was sinking.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Apr. 2026
Unlike other methods for sinking deep shafts, Gangtie Jiliang is built specifically to tackle hard rock.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Apr. 2026
Brent was last above $98 a barrel, after sinking 13% on Wednesday as the truce was announced.
—Jake Lloyd-Smith, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
ServiceNow was one of the worst performers on the S&P 500, sinking more than 8%.
—Sean Conlon,lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sinking
Adjective
-
Livaura Retinol Anti-Aging Hand Cream Retinol is a vitamin A derivative that boosts cell turnover and collagen production, while fading wrinkles, fine lines, and reducing visible signs of aging like dullness, dark spots, and texture.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Thus, the wrecking ball came for the Purple Passion Pit and the rest of the complex, a monument to a fading but wonderfully hospitable era of Chicago entertainment and local entrepreneurship.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The process, known as lithospheric foundering, resembles a geological process on Earth in which portions of the planet's outermost layer sink into the mantle.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Any major foundering in New Mexico could have long-lasting consequences.—
Elliot Haspel,
The Atlantic,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
With enrollment plummeting and bloated staffing levels, the district is already on shaky financial footing and can’t sustain payroll without drawing down its reserves.—
Aaron Garth Smith,
Oc Register,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Chesapeake employs 344 before a collapse in natural gas prices sends its stock value plummeting.—
Steve Lackmeyer,
Oklahoman,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Kennedy Center leadership is conducting tours with congressional staff and donors to demonstrate that the building needs major renovation due to water damage, HVAC issues and deteriorating infrastructure.—
Steven Sloan,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Lake County has taken the first steps towards absorbing the responsibilities of the essentially defunct Del Mar Woods Sanitary District, a tiny government unit consisting of a subdivision with fewer than 90 lots and deteriorating sewer pipes.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trump’s move to shutter the building for two years starting in July, which was approved by the board last month, has spurred lawsuits and an outcry that the closure is merely a response to plunging sales as artists canceled Kennedy Center performances in droves.—
Steven Sloan,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
-
In February, a mix of snow and road salt seeped into underground electrical equipment, plunging more than 5,000 of our constituents in Park Slope, Boerum Hill, Crown Heights, Bed-Stuy, and Bushwick into darkness.—
Shahana Hanif,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The order also states that the government may suspend or ban state contracts with AI companies that violate existing civil liberties, such as stifling freedom of speech or engaging in surveillance.—
Richard Sill,
Oc Register,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The Gamecocks played stifling defense to knock off UConn 62-48 and end the defending champion Huskies’ 54-game winning streak in the Final Four on Friday night.—
Doug Feinberg,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Between rising costs, vanishing support systems and nonstop scrutiny, parenthood, as Ej Dickson describes in One Bad Mother, has started to feel less like a choice than a trap.—
Micah Barkley,
Bloomberg,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The Furry Tales coexisted with candy characters for about a decade before quietly vanishing in the 1980s.—
John Haddad,
The Conversation,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The station initially bridged the sudden budget gap last year by reaching out to donors directly and reducing costs to bring down overhead.—
Savannah Sicurella,
AJC.com,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The ship suffered substantial damage, and the Reagan administration retaliated by damaging or sinking three Iranian warships and three oil platforms, drastically reducing Tehran’s ability to engage in the gulf.—
Dalia Abdelwahab,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sinking. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
