hulk

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a heavy clumsy ship
b(1)
: the body of an old ship unfit for service
(2)
: a ship used as a prison
usually used in plural
every prisoner sent to the hulksKenneth Roberts
c
: an abandoned wreck or shell (as of a building or automobile)
2
: one that is bulky or unwieldy

hulk

2 of 2

verb

hulked; hulking; hulks

intransitive verb

1
dialectal, England : to move ponderously
2
: to appear impressively large or massive : loom
factories hulked along the river

Examples of hulk in a Sentence

Noun The ship's rusting hulk is still visible on the rocks. the burned out hulk of the factory
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.
Noun
There were literal piles of dead and mangled Russians around the smoldering hulks. David Axe, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024 The gleaming and modern hulk might have been rejected by the district’s conservative populace, especially since the Mubaraks had supported hospital fundraising efforts. Sushrut Jangi, Foreign Affairs, 7 Dec. 2014
Verb
Called from his desk to a plush dining room where friends and family of his boss have gathered, An is asked to entertain everyone with an impromptu fighting exhibition against opponents including the Banker’s hulking son, Kevin (Kevin Lee). Richard Kuipers, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024 That’s because Judge, the Yankees’ hulking 6-foot-7, $360-million center fielder, had one of the most productive offensive seasons in Major League Baseball history. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hulk 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English hulke, from Old English hulc, probably from Medieval Latin holcas, from Greek holkas, from helkein to pull — more at sulcus

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hulk was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near hulk

Cite this Entry

“Hulk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hulk. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

hulk

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: a heavy clumsy ship
b
: the body of an old ship unfit for service or of an abandoned wreck
2
: a bulky or clumsy person or thing

hulk

2 of 2 verb
: to appear impressively large
factories hulking along the river
hulking
ˈhəl-kiŋ
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on hulk

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!