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
Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2026
Rescuers found the first victim, the 12-year-old Spanish girl, three days later, floating near the northern waters of Serai island, fewer than a mile from the site of the sinking.
—CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
More than a century after its sinking, is there really more to be said about the Titanic?
—Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Instead, bathymetric analysis suggested the sinking occurred in a local depression with a depth exceeding 100 meters.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Dec. 2025
Uncovering the boat’s past Before its sinking, the Hjortspring boat was nearly 20 meters (about 66 feet) long and could hold up to 24 men.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025
Heavier objects generally compress more ground underneath, so the scale of new construction is the leading cause in the surprise sinking.
—Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 1 Dec. 2025
Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Schettino had abandoned ship prematurely while 300 passengers were stuck in the sinking ship.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Multiple factors contributed to the sinking prospects for how much money investors might receive, court papers show.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2026
Despite robust growth and a record-setting stock market, confidence in the economy has also been sinking.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 12 Jan. 2026
Fudd began the run sinking her second shot from deep of the game.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 11 Jan. 2026
Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson was on track to score 30-plus points for a second straight game after sinking a 3-pointer to beat the first-half buzzer in Saturday’s KU-West Virginia contest at Hope Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 11 Jan. 2026
Mark plants in the snow throw zone by sinking tall stakes into the ground near the plants in the fall.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
With less access to scholarships and aid, some students may elect to choose a different path of study, potentially sinking enrollment below the quotas set by the law enacted last year.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
Land subsidence is the sinking or collapsing of surface land due to the removal of things such as underground water, oil or gas.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2026
Rescuers found the first victim, the 12-year-old Spanish girl, three days later, floating near the northern waters of Serai island, fewer than a mile from the site of the sinking.
—CBS News, 4 Jan. 2026
More than a century after its sinking, is there really more to be said about the Titanic?
—Benjamin Cannon, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
Instead, bathymetric analysis suggested the sinking occurred in a local depression with a depth exceeding 100 meters.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Dec. 2025
Uncovering the boat’s past Before its sinking, the Hjortspring boat was nearly 20 meters (about 66 feet) long and could hold up to 24 men.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025
Heavier objects generally compress more ground underneath, so the scale of new construction is the leading cause in the surprise sinking.
—Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 1 Dec. 2025
Verb
Hobbs pointed out that some residents’ wells have gone dry as water levels have plummeted in the Ranegras Plain, and that the land has been sinking as the aquifer is depleted.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Schettino had abandoned ship prematurely while 300 passengers were stuck in the sinking ship.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Multiple factors contributed to the sinking prospects for how much money investors might receive, court papers show.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2026
Despite robust growth and a record-setting stock market, confidence in the economy has also been sinking.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 12 Jan. 2026
Fudd began the run sinking her second shot from deep of the game.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 11 Jan. 2026
Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson was on track to score 30-plus points for a second straight game after sinking a 3-pointer to beat the first-half buzzer in Saturday’s KU-West Virginia contest at Hope Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 11 Jan. 2026
Mark plants in the snow throw zone by sinking tall stakes into the ground near the plants in the fall.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
With less access to scholarships and aid, some students may elect to choose a different path of study, potentially sinking enrollment below the quotas set by the law enacted last year.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sinking
Adjective
-
Later classified AT2025ulz, the object displayed similar, fading red wavelengths as GW170817.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
17 Dec. 2025
-
The film is an adaptation of the ghost novel What Happens At Night, which follows a married couple that travels to Europe to adopt a baby, staying in a cavernous, fading European hotel filled with eccentric characters.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Any major foundering in New Mexico could have long-lasting consequences.—
Elliot Haspel,
The Atlantic,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Beck, the Miami quarterback, played at Georgia last season, but an injury in the SEC title game ended his season and sent his draft stock plummeting.—
Eddie Pells,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Beck, the Miami quarterback, played at Georgia last season, but an injury in the SEC title game ended his season and sent his draft stock plummeting.—
Eddie Pells,
Baltimore Sun,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For now, all that can be said for certain, judging by the latest implosion in his current employers West Ham’s fast-deteriorating season, is that nobody has benefited from his falling-out with Edu and the sequence of events that brought about Nuno’s exit from the City Ground.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Iran has been racked by protests over the past several days around deteriorating economic conditions in the country, made worse by a growing water crisis and severe sanctions against Tehran.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In another look from the trip, Nader debuted a matching leopard-print top with a plunging neckline, finishing the outfit with oversized sunglasses, a straw cowboy hat and a gold pendant.—
Danielle Minnetian,
FOXNews.com,
14 Jan. 2026
-
The Bridesmaids alum put a NSFW twist on power dressing at Cipriani 42nd Street on Tuesday night, turning heads in nothing but a sheer layer of mesh and a black velvet bow tie under her belly button-plunging blazer.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Moore’s task against Indiana’s stifling defense would have been daunting even with all his weapons.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The immense costs associated with the program have only worsened the economic situation, leading to a more stifling environment.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Concerns over inflation came to a head when the prices of basic goods such as cooking oil and chicken dramatically spiked, with some products vanishing from shelves altogether.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
-
British explorer Colonel Percy Fawcett, who wandered the Amazon for 22 years at the beginning of the 20th century before vanishing without a trace, wrote that the breath of the anaconda stupefied its prey.—
Stanley Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The plant will focus on advanced packaging, which involves combining multiple memory chips into a single, high-density unit to improve performance and energy efficiency while reducing overall size.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The team achieved a 20 percent reduction in turbine weight per megawatt compared to the industry average, assisting with installation while also reducing costs.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sinking. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
