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
After all, a dirty brush can redeposit gunk and grime back onto your scalp.
—
Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 10 June 2025
All the trash, pet poop, fertilizer and other gunk is not swept.
—Letters To The Editor, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2025
The idea is to funnel the sludgy gunk through the sleepy beach town and ultimately into a wider regional sewage system.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 17 June 2025
The multi-layer filter helps keep out any bits of food or gunk, and the stainless steel tray is easy to wipe clean and more hygienic than plastic.
—Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for gunk
Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 10 June 2025
All the trash, pet poop, fertilizer and other gunk is not swept.
—Letters To The Editor, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2025
The idea is to funnel the sludgy gunk through the sleepy beach town and ultimately into a wider regional sewage system.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 17 June 2025
The multi-layer filter helps keep out any bits of food or gunk, and the stainless steel tray is easy to wipe clean and more hygienic than plastic.
—Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for gunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gunk
Noun
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Many swimmers are using the pool to wash their feet or their sandals, clogging the water with dirt and sand.—
Lois K. Solomon,
Sun Sentinel,
24 July 2025
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Mussolini tore down the housing and filled some of the tunnels with dirt to stabilize the hill above as part of his grand revitalization plan to modernize the Italian capital.—
Antonia Mortensen,
CNN Money,
23 July 2025
Noun
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Dredging would have removed about four to five feet of muck and other material from the floor of the lake, increasing its depth to 12 feet in some places.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
20 July 2025
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And years of exposure to heat, chemicals, and environmental muck can also strip away some of your hair’s natural gloss, leaving it looking duller, Dr. Lo Sicco notes.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
9 July 2025
Noun
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The victory continues England’s success at major international tournaments, with this marking the team’s third final in a row; the Lionesses won the Women’s Euros on home soil in 2022 and lost to Spain in the World Cup final in 2023.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
23 July 2025
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The book deftly expresses both grief for all of the violence perpetrated on American soil and a profound love for all of the beings that inhabit this continent.—
The Atlantic Culture Desk,
The Atlantic,
23 July 2025
Noun
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Leftover sludge falls to the bottom of the ponds, which are then cleaned out and refilled to renew the process.—
Regina Elling,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2025
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There were torrential rains in Italy's north on Monday and parts of Bardonecchia near Turin were covered in sludge after the Frejus river burst its banks.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 June 2025
Noun
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Without those funds, the back half of the project — meant to protect $1.4 billion of infrastructure and prevent sewage overflow and power outages — has been stuck in financial limbo.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
31 July 2025
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Danson co-founded the American Oceans Campaign (AOC) in 1987 to alert Americans to the life-threatening hazards created by oil spills, offshore developments, toxic wastes, sewage pollution and other ocean abuses.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
30 July 2025
Noun
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Vinegar, while technically more of an acid than a solvent, helps clear away mineral, inorganic crud.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 July 2025
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This isn't just unsanitary—the buildup of crud could eventually interfere with your mixer's moving parts.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
19 May 2025
Noun
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Jorge was seen dropping off a black garbage bag near the building’s boiler room after the victim was discovered, neighbors said.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
27 July 2025
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In cities, they are often seen soaring above garbage dumps, marketplaces and riverbanks, scavenging for scraps and small prey.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
27 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gunk. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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