hunkered (down)

past tense of hunker (down)
as in crouched
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 hunkered (down)
Verb
  • The victim’s brother walked to midfield, crouched, took aim, and fired.
    — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026
  • State police said the preliminary investigation by its homicide unit indicated that Moorhead had been crouched close to the ground in an open field, hunting, when Soto passed by with a man and two children.
    — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Not far from Stark, a woman huddled on the ground, shielded from the floodwaters by the temporary barrier.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Eric Bieniemy had the entire offense huddled up after that drive.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 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

“Hunkered (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hunkered%20%28down%29. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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