variants
or sunk
1
as in deteriorated
to become worse or of less value
his fortunes have steadily sunk since the breakup of his business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fell
to go to a lower level especially abruptly
I had just bought a bundle of shares of the stock when its price sank like a rock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stifled
to refrain from openly showing or uttering
sinks his pride and makes the first step towards a reconciliation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in disappeared
to cease to be visible
that evening we sat on the beach, dreamily watching the sun sink beneath the horizon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in reduced
to diminish the price or value of
the slightest nick will sink the price of a piece of Tiffany glass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in humiliated
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
the revelation that he has been embezzling for years definitely sinks him in my opinion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in plunged
to lead or extend downward
the road sinks abruptly after that curve
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in faded
to lose bodily strength or vigor
the old woman only sunk further after she was moved to the nursing home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of sank
The study said the debris could have come from a foreign ship that sank—given the lack of information from the Russian side, who could say?
—
Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
As revenue sank, the economy collapsed amid soaring inflation.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
And the Conference Board’s latest survey revealed that consumer confidence fell to its lowest level since April in November, as assessments of both the business and labor markets sank, and the Expectations Index dropped further below the threshold that signals an upcoming recession.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Again, on the heels of September’s rate, short-term Treasury yields sank, but the 10-year yield soared back to its highest point in nearly a fortnight.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
But after spending nearly three decades sitting dormant in Philadelphia, the ship was sold to Okaloosa County in Florida, to be sunk and turned into an artificial reef.
—Danny Freeman, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
As revenue sank, the economy collapsed amid soaring inflation.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
And the Conference Board’s latest survey revealed that consumer confidence fell to its lowest level since April in November, as assessments of both the business and labor markets sank, and the Expectations Index dropped further below the threshold that signals an upcoming recession.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Again, on the heels of September’s rate, short-term Treasury yields sank, but the 10-year yield soared back to its highest point in nearly a fortnight.
—Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
But after spending nearly three decades sitting dormant in Philadelphia, the ship was sold to Okaloosa County in Florida, to be sunk and turned into an artificial reef.
—Danny Freeman, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sank
Verb
-
His mental health has severely deteriorated, his financial situation is terrible, and his drug dependency is at its worst.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
An old male Japanese macaque maintained alpha status as his ability to walk deteriorated, but only through an alliance with the alpha female.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the piece, the Vicar of Christ is felled not by his oppressors but rather by a random cosmic event.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Jeff Shell, now felled from his presidency of Paramount, is living proof.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Loons’ defense stifled Dallas striker Petar Musa, who came into the game leading MLS with nine goals this season.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
23 Apr. 2026
-
While personal fans have been a fashionable accessory since before the Victorian era, the category has been stifled by a lack of innovation for a while.—
Andrew Gebhart,
PC Magazine,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The late Queen herself once recognized the positive effect Harry and Meghan could have across the Commonwealth—and supporters say their influence has not disappeared.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Since the 1970s more than a third of the world’s wetlands have disappeared, largely due to climate change and urbanization, at a rate that is three times faster than forest loss.—
Paige Bruton,
semafor.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But since the war began, traffic has been reduced to a trickle, with just 154 vessels recorded crossing in the entire month of March, according to Kpler data.—
Henrik Pettersson,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
-
While there is no question that KU Med is at fault for failing to disinfect the heater-cooler devices, Johnson said, LivaNova should have ensured that the hospital was strictly following its instructions for use, which would have reduced the risk of bacteria spreading.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This Mets team, with the second-highest MLB payroll at $369 million, had just been humiliated by a franchise that lost 119 games a year ago.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
One such accusation resulted in a federal lawsuit filed in September in which the former head of the Colorado Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind alleged DHS management humiliated and discriminated against him before forcing him out of his job.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At its center is the story of a boy named Zac Brettler, who in November 2019, at the age of nineteen, plunged to his death from a balcony on the fifth floor of an upscale apartment complex a few minutes’ walk along the Thames from Tate Britain.—
Mark O’Connell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Milei’s popularity plummets amid corruption scandal in Argentina Argentinian President Javier Milei’s popularity plunged to a new low, as rising unemployment and a burgeoning corruption scandal threatened his ambitious economic program and prospects for reelection next year.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
With time, with therapy, with growth, this thing has faded into the past, dissolved into other narratives.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Interest in the discussion faded later in James' career.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sank.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sank. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
