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.
Set a short distance away, the guest house features the same decorative brick as the main house but in a different hue, a spacious sunken living room, and a nearby stone patio. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 7 Feb. 2025 The circular crystal grotto remains the heart of the property, with its daily meditation sessions, while a new sunken living room was added for lounging. Devorah Lev-Tov, AFAR Media, 31 Jan. 2025 The 1980 structure overlooks Washington Square Park, which has been proposed for a future downtown ballpark for the Royals, and the site’s full footprint would be 11.6 acres with the addition of the Blue KC building and its sunken parking lot. Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2025 They are often found around hydrothermal vents, hydrocarbon seeps or with organic falls like sunken wood and whale carcasses. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2025 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 20 Feb. 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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