as in dirt
foul matter that mars the purity or cleanliness of something
I have to wash my hands; I got gunk all over them somehow
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gunk
Using a small stiff brush, clean out any gunk or debris in the screen door’s tracks.
—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
8 June 2026
Vacuuming to waste bypasses the pool’s filter, sending the water and gunk straight out the drain hose.
—
Brad Moon,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
This causes grounds to stick to the sides of the chamber rather than ending up in your dose, which can screw with the weight and ultimately accelerate the buildup of gunk.
—
Pete Cottell,
Wired News,
29 May 2026
Using a small scrub brush, scrape out any gunk that's built in your P-trap.
—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for gunk
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
8 June 2026
Vacuuming to waste bypasses the pool’s filter, sending the water and gunk straight out the drain hose.
—
Brad Moon,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
This causes grounds to stick to the sides of the chamber rather than ending up in your dose, which can screw with the weight and ultimately accelerate the buildup of gunk.
—
Pete Cottell,
Wired News,
29 May 2026
Using a small scrub brush, scrape out any gunk that's built in your P-trap.
—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for gunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gunk
Noun
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Driving into the estate down a dirt track, you’re met with concrete walls that frame the space with gallery-like precision, directing your eyes toward geological features rather than distracting from them.
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Washing blueberries removes dirt and toxins that may cling to the fruit during handling and transporting from farm to store.
Noun
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No wonder Yard Act realized music is the lifeline that just might pull us back out of the muck.
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France played through the rain and muck to beat Iraq 3-0 behind two goals from Kylian Mbappé.
Noun
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Aim to give cucumber plants an inch of water each week from irrigation or rainfall, and water when the top few inches of soil feel dry.
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Water deeply in the morning, check soil moisture regularly, and move plants to shade during heat waves.
Noun
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Little filth flies such as drain flies breed in sludge and decaying matter that can build up in drain pipes, says Oi.
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The 29-year-old has arrived at Rolling Stone’s office in distressed cutoff denim shorts and custom boots self-designed to look like she’s been trekking through sludge à la Kate Moss at Glastonbury 2005.
Noun
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This brings us to the point that while the project focused on coffee grounds, the technology can be applied to a wide range of high-moisture organic waste, including food waste, agricultural residues, and even sewage sludge.
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For parts of the Massachusetts North Shore, the fate of 4th of July swimming for beachgoers rests on the timeline of temporary pipes being installed to stop a wastewater sewage leak.
Noun
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There used to be more opportunities, in other words, to separate the wheat from the crud.
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This isn't just unsanitary—the buildup of crud could eventually interfere with your mixer's moving parts.
Noun
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Decomposing food can release hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas synonymous with landfills and garbage.
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Epidemics, worsened by the unsanitary conditions caused by the mountains of garbage the government has stopped collecting, combine with the shortage of medicines and the dire state of medical facilities.
Cite this Entry
“Gunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gunk. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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