sunken

adjective

sunk·​en ˈsəŋ-kən 

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

Synonyms

• concave
• dented
• depressed
• dished
• hollow
• indented
• recessed

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

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sonkyn, past participle of sinken to sink

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sunken

adjective

sunk·​en ˈsəŋ-kən 

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