sunken

adjective

sunk·​en ˈsəŋ-kən How to pronounce sunken (audio)
1
: submerged
especially : lying at the bottom of a body of water
2
a
: hollow, recessed
sunken cheeks
b
: lying in a depression
a sunken garden
c
: settled below the normal level
d
: constructed below the normal floor level
a sunken living room

Examples of sunken in a Sentence

Her eyes were sunken and lifeless. our convalescing guest's sunken cheeks soon filled out on a diet of my mother's cooking
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.
Even with all that to choose from, Don’s penthouse apartment from season five, with its sunken living room, wood-paneling, and floor-to-ceiling windows, takes the cake. Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 24 Dec. 2024 After the long dinner, wives and sisters-in-law gathered in the kitchen, helping clean up and doing their best to connect in different languages, while the rest of the party moved into the sunken living room. Carolynn Carreño, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024 Searching for sunken treasure has never been like that. Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024 The entry foyer leads to a hall lined with shelves that goes to the sunken living room or, down a carpeted hall lined with mirrors, to a bedroom and office. Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sunken 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sonkyn, past participle of sinken to sink

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sunken was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near sunken

Cite this Entry

“Sunken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sunken. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

sunken

adjective
sunk·​en ˈsəŋ-kən How to pronounce sunken (audio)
1
: being submerged
especially : lying at the bottom of a body of water
sunken ships
2
: fallen in : hollow
sunken cheeks
3
a
: lying in a depression
a sunken garden
b
: constructed below the normal floor level
a sunken living room

More from Merriam-Webster on sunken

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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