dunk

1 of 2

verb

dunked; dunking; dunks
Synonyms of dunknext

transitive verb

1
: to dip (something, such as a piece of bread) into a beverage while eating
2
: to dip or submerge temporarily in liquid
3
: to throw (a basketball) into the basket from above the rim see also dunk on

intransitive verb

1
: to submerge oneself in water
2
: to make a dunk shot in basketball

dunk

2 of 2

noun

: the act or action of dunking
especially : dunk shot

Examples of dunk in a Sentence

Verb I like to dunk my doughnut in my coffee. She dunked him while they were swimming. He dunked the ladle into the soup. He could dunk when he was 16. Noun The pass led to a dunk.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
On the side, there’s a cup of mushroom stock fortified with soy sauce, molasses, rosemary and a touch of cayenne pepper for dunking. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026 As the timer passed seven minutes, Steve Eckert exhorted a whimpering young man to dunk his head underwater. Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
The bench may also require reworking, even if guards Jamari McDowell and Elmarko Jackson return, which is not a slam-dunk guarantee. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2026 After eventually driving by Jimmy Butler, Tatum went up for a dunk, only to be met with a denial by Adebayo above the rim. Andrew Greif, NBC news, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dunk

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Pennsylvania German dunke, from Middle High German dunken, from Old High German dunkōn — more at tinge

First Known Use

Verb

1926, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1932, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dunk was in 1926

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dunk. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

dunk

verb
ˈdəŋk
1
: to dip (as a doughnut) into liquid (as coffee)
2
: to plunge oneself into water

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