noun
sinkhole
SIHNGK-hohl
noun
1
A hole in the ground formed when water dissolves underlying rock, causing the surface to collapse.
"A sinkhole swallowed part of the road overnight."
How to Use Sinkhole
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA hole or depression that opens up in the ground, often suddenly, where soluble rock has eroded away underneath.
Common pairings
sinkhole opens up
giant sinkhole
Word Forms
sinkholed past tense, sinkholes plural, sinkholes singular
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A _____ swallowed part of the road overnight.
Etymology
From sink plus hole.