1
as in deteriorated
to become worse or of less value
his fortunes have steadily sunk since the breakup of his business
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2
as in plunged
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
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3
as in swallowed
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
sinks his pride and makes the first step towards a reconciliation
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4
as in disappeared
to cease to be visible
that evening we sat on the beach, dreamily watching the sun sink beneath the horizon
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5
as in reduced
to diminish the price or value of
the slightest nick will sink the price of a piece of Tiffany glass
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6
as in humiliated
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
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7
as in fallen
to lead or extend downward
the road sinks abruptly after that curve
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8
as in faded
to lose bodily strength or vigor
the old woman only sunk further after she was moved to the nursing home
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sunk
Gabrielle Kassel,
SELF,
29 Jan. 2026
The two aircraft lost at sea totaled more than $90 million of sunk equipment.
—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Jan. 2026
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Caught unprotected off the port of Saint-Nazaire, the ship was sunk by German planes, the attack lighting a resulting fuel spill.
—
USA Today,
2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sunk
Adjective
Stress and resentment often builds within relationships driven by sunk cost thinking, which increases within the relationship.
—
Gabrielle Kassel,
SELF,
29 Jan. 2026
The two aircraft lost at sea totaled more than $90 million of sunk equipment.
—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
Giorgio Chiellini, during Italy’s group-stage match against Uruguay in 2014, was not the first opponent to have Suarez’s over-eager gnashers sunk into him (specifically on the shoulder) and this one earned Suarez a four-month ban from the sport.
—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Caught unprotected off the port of Saint-Nazaire, the ship was sunk by German planes, the attack lighting a resulting fuel spill.
—
USA Today,
2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sunk
Adjective
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His choices allow the viewer to drink in the intimate details of the ruined world.
Verb
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Israel and Turkey were once close allies, but ties deteriorated after Erdogan, whose party is rooted in Turkey’s Islamic movement, came to power.
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The situation in Haiti has deteriorated since armed groups took control of most of Port-au-Prince in 2024.
Verb
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Riyadh largely paused shipments from its Gulf export terminals of Ras Tanura and Juaymah on March 9 after tanker traffic through Hormuz plunged due to Iranian attacks.
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Even as the communist country proposes reforms, the United States continues a pressure campaign, ramping up economic sanctions and maintaining an oil embargo that has plunged much of the island into darkness.
Verb
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Each player swallowed a biometric tablet, about the size of a large vitamin, so that scientists could see how well his body cooled itself.
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Today, the border's meanderings to its current location is the story of the birth of a nation that swallowed Native American tribes, Spanish descendants and Mexican citizens.
Verb
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The news of the arrest caught the attention of the family of Amy McHale, a woman who was once married to Horsch’s father and disappeared nearly 10 years ago.
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Yet under the Third Circuit’s rule, a taxpayer may remain vulnerable long after records have disappeared and witnesses are unavailable, if a preparer intentionally falsified a return.
Verb
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Data indicates declining trust in managers and reduced interest in leadership among younger generations.
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Each union agreed to slightly different terms for how long the leave programs are in place and by how much salaries were reduced.
Verb
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Israel must leave humiliated and defeated — and that is exactly what will happen.
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The novel follows 16-year-old Abby, who is left humiliated after a private photo gets shared around school.
Verb
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Shares in Infosys, Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services, and HCLTech have all fallen between 30% and 40% over the past 12 months.
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Treasury yields have climbed since the Iran war began, the yen has weakened to multi-decade lows against the dollar, and gold has fallen sharply from its January peak.
Cite this Entry
“Sunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sunk. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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