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
Sandra Sobieraj Westfall, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2022
An additional 20 fans, about the size of small trucks, destined for Russia are sitting on her factory floor — a sunk cost of €350,000.
—New York Times, 5 Apr. 2022
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
The same three-year extension was sunk by upper-chamber Republicans in December.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sunk
Adjective
One of their best times was a day where their biggest haul was a bunch of sunk bushes near the shore, where all three of them managed to tangle their lines.
—Sandra Sobieraj Westfall, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2022
An additional 20 fans, about the size of small trucks, destined for Russia are sitting on her factory floor — a sunk cost of €350,000.
—New York Times, 5 Apr. 2022
Verb
This isn’t great news for grads who have sunk tens of thousands of dollars into tuition, or are hoping to pay off their debt burden by landing a role similar to those their parents held before them.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
The same three-year extension was sunk by upper-chamber Republicans in December.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sunk
Adjective
-
Owner Jason Boso fixed that, infusing $2 million into the 10-year-old bar on better bathrooms, a covered section of the patio and a re-done kitchen.—
Sarah Blaskovich,
Dallas News,
3 Apr. 2023
Verb
-
At the time, Denver’s Landmark Preservation office told the Denver Gazette that the old neon was too deteriorated to restore.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The already-frosty relationship between Devers and the front office deteriorated to an irreparable level in May, when Triston Casas suffered a season-ending knee injury.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Erdoğan changed course in 2023 and brought in new central-bank leadership who jacked interest rates to nearly 50 percent and plunged the country into a recession in a desperate effort to restore credibility.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Shares have plunged more than 20% over the course of those two days.—
Steve Kopack,
NBC news,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The most famous, perhaps, was of lung cancer patient David Prueitt, who swallowed a supposedly lethal dose of medication and awoke three days later.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the pill can report when it has been swallowed.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The latter is an entirely new class of cosmic objects in the early universe that appear to have disappeared before the cosmos was around 2 billion years old.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Investor confidence has withered in the wake of a corruption scandal, as probes discovered that $2 billion in government funding for flood management projects had disappeared.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The defendants' sentences were reduced because they were abused by the victims, in accordance with the New York Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act, legislation that Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney criticized.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
-
The report points out that keyboards and computers reduced the need for handwriting, and calculators automated basic math.—
Cory Turner,
NPR,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
She had never been arrested before and felt humiliated when her mugshot was plastered all over the news after her arrest.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
12 Dec. 2025
-
She was humiliated when her oldest son was forced to testify in a divorce case.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Since the Ellisons made their first bid in September, Larry’s net worth has fallen by more than $100 billion as concerns about the AI bubble eliminated much of Oracle’s gains this year.—
Reeves Wiedeman,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Cronin can’t be blamed for betting on Donovan Dent, the top transfer point guard who has fallen far short of expectations.—
Ben Bolch,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sunk. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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