sunken

adjective

ˈsəŋ-kən How to pronounce sunken (audio)
Definition of sunkennext
1
as in concave
curved inward our convalescing guest's sunken cheeks soon filled out on a diet of my mother's cooking

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in underwater
living, lying, or occurring below the surface of the water diving for sunken treasure

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 sunken Severe symptoms include crying without tears, extreme irritability, fewer wet diapers, vomiting or diarrhoea, and sunken eyes or forehead. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 23 June 2026 There are family-style rooms with bunk beds, suites with larger seating areas, single-bed rooms with window benches, A-frame lodges with sunken living spaces, and Blue Lagoon skincare and haircare in all of the bathrooms. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 June 2026 The villa is still being excavated and studied, but archaeologists have so far uncovered a grand entrance hall with an atrium and sunken basin, known as an impluvium, surrounded by a mosaic floor with black and white botanical and geometric designs. — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 19 June 2026 Screenwriter Jack Thorne, working from the character created by author Nancy Springer, throws all manner of secrets, sunken treasure and a British colonialism subplot into a convoluted mix. — ABC News, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sunken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sunken
  1. concave
  2. underwater
  3. hollow
  4. aquatic
  5. depressed
  6. submarine
  7. submerged
Adjective
  • Their concave shapes and generous size are perfect vessels for all kinds of fillings, from a rich, hearty meat ragù to lighter combinations like ricotta and seasonal vegetables.
    — Carole Kotkin, Miami Herald, 16 June 2026
  • Checking the Seal Jars that have successfully sealed will have a concave lid that won't pop back up when pressed.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 12 June 2026
Definition of concave
Adjective
  • The technology is an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) paired with its own seabed docking station.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 July 2026
  • Its tendency to rapidly reproduce, forming dense colonies on underwater surfaces, can clog pipes, pumps and critical water infrastructure while disrupting local ecosystems.
    — Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of underwater
Adjective
  • In the second year, a hollow stalk with purple spots grows 5 to 10 feet tall.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • However, most other teams’ fall rosters were already filled by then, Elschot said, making these promises seem hollow and unrealistic.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of hollow
Adjective
  • Part of the Splash Jelly Drop collection, Tory Burch’s Mini Romy reworks one of the brand’s signature shapes into a bright aquatic blue that immediately calls to mind swimming pools and cloudless skies.
    — Sanika Achrekar, Glamour, 2 July 2026
  • Research examining toxins and microplastics in aquatic environments has raised concerns about their potential effects on these microscopic organisms and the broader marine ecosystem.
    — Jason Phillips, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of aquatic
Adjective
  • The pseudonymous title character, a depressed, drunken, belligerent twenty-six-year-old advice columnist, has no real hardships of his own and is cursed by doubt.
    — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 1 July 2026
  • Supergirl is a story about a depressed, super-powered woman who is pulled out of her bar-hopping to help other people and find her purpose.
    — Tiffany Kelly, Entertainment Weekly, 30 June 2026
Definition of depressed
Adjective
  • But a new antenna technology, borrowed from the physics of medical implants, is rethinking how submarine machines talk to each other – and to us.
    — Omar Kardoudi June 06, New Atlas, 6 June 2026
  • As a near-term step, the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom should invite Japan to participate in discrete (non-submarine) elements of the 2021 AUKUS security pact, which will support Australia’s acquisition of nuclear submarines and promote cooperation on other advanced capabilities.
    — CHRISTOPHER JOHNSTONE, Foreign Affairs, 12 Jan. 2023
Definition of submarine
Adjective
  • The driver was found deceased inside her submerged vehicle hours after calling 911 for help.
    — Natassia Paloma, USA Today, 16 June 2026
  • This seemingly futuristic idea drew on his Navy experience with water-splitting electrolyzers, which supplied the oxygen that enabled subs to remain submerged for months at a time, and NASA’s use of hydrogen fuel cells to power the Apollo missions.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 15 June 2026
Definition of submerged

Browse Nearby Words

sunk
sunken
sunk fence
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Cite this Entry

“Sunken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sunken. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sunken

Nglish: Translation of sunken for Spanish Speakers

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