adj Uncommon

sunken

SUHNG-kuhn

Sunken (adj) means Pushed down below the surrounding surface, or dragged underwater. Example: “Divers found a sunken ship off the coast of Florida.”

adj

Pushed down below the surrounding surface, or dragged underwater.

"Divers found a sunken ship off the coast of Florida."

"The garden had a sunken patio a few steps below the lawn."

Looking hollow or drawn in, especially around the eyes or cheeks, from age, illness, or exhaustion.

"After weeks without sleep, his sunken eyes made him look ten years older."

How to use sunken

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishLower than everything around it, or hollowed-out looking — used for ships, gardens, and tired faces alike.

Common mistake

Sunken is the adjective form used before a noun (a sunken ship); "sank" and "sunk" are the past tense/participle of the verb "sink" (the ship sank / has sunk).

Common pairings

sunken ship sunken eyes sunken garden sunken treasure

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Divers found a _____ ship off the coast of Florida.

Rhymes for sunken

drunken shrunken

See all rhymes for sunken →

Frequently asked questions

What does “sunken” mean?

The word “sunken” means pushed down below the surrounding surface, or dragged underwater. In plain terms, lower than everything around it, or hollowed-out looking — used for ships, gardens, and tired faces alike.

How do you pronounce “sunken”?

“Sunken” is pronounced SUHNG-kuhn (/ˈsʌŋkən/ in IPA).

How do you use “sunken” in a sentence?

Here is “sunken” used in a sentence: “Divers found a sunken ship off the coast of Florida.”

What part of speech is “sunken”?

“Sunken” is an adjective.

Is “sunken” a common word?

“Sunken” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “sunken” have?

“Sunken” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: pushed down below the surrounding surface, or dragged underwater.