1 thunk | Definition of thunk

thunk

\ ˈthəƋk How to pronounce thunk (audio) \

Definition of thunk

 (Entry 1 of 3)

dialectal past tense and past participle of think

thunk

noun

Definition of thunk (Entry 2 of 3)

: a flat hollow sound

thunk

verb
thunked; thunking; thunks

Definition of thunk (Entry 3 of 3)

intransitive verb

: to produce a flat hollow sound : make a thunk

Examples of thunk in a Sentence

Noun

The book landed on the floor with a thunk.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Who woulda thunk that a simple backlink on a website would change the world? Steve Stauss, USA TODAY, "Entrepreneurs, you can do magic: Exploit your difference," 8 Apr. 2019 Then again, by the same mark, the model couldn’t be called under-thunk. Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, "Who Really Stands to Win from Universal Basic Income?," 24 Mar. 2014 Office talk died down soon enough, and the only sounds were the wind rippling through still-young corn stalks and the thunk-slide repetition of spades being thrust into dirt. Alfred Lubrano, Philly.com, "In Chesco, volunteer farmers grow food for neighbors in need," 5 June 2018 There is something assuring and memorable about grabbing the large steering wheel, sliding the shifter through its gates, gliding over rough roads and feeling the secure thunk of the doors. Casey Williams, chicagotribune.com, "Classic '80s Mercedes models appeal to new generations," 11 May 2018 Anyone mailing multiple letters will no longer hear the satisfying shuffle and thunk of envelopes hitting the pile inside. Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, "The “Cadillac of Mailboxes” Arrives in N.Y.C.," 30 Apr. 2018 Who woulda thunk 10 years ago that the biggest trend maker of our generation would be the eyebrow? Chloe Metzger, Marie Claire, "Fishtail Brows Are the Newest Instagram Trend You Might Actually Like," 20 Feb. 2018 Voices and polka music filter into the cool evening air, punctuated by the dull thunk of boots on wooden steps. Kate Siber, USA TODAY, "Dance hall days: Texas preserves a treasured tradition," 25 Sep. 2017 Hounds bay, horses tumble, and riders hit the ground with spectacular thunks. June Thomas, Slate Magazine, "The Lost City of Z," 13 Apr. 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

With an expert throw — not too hard, not too soft — Bobby Ragot, 22, released a small hatchet, watched it spin and then thunk into a soft pine target. Cody Boteler, baltimoresun.com, "Hatchet throwing lands in Towson Commons," 25 June 2019 To put it bluntly: At its best NYFW felt a smidgen like London Fashion Week, and who’d have thunk it? Sally Singer, Vogue, "Runway Diversity and the Rise of the New Guard Were the Big Stories at New York Fashion Week," 14 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'thunk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of thunk

Noun

1947, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1949, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for thunk

Noun

imitative

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More Definitions for thunk

thunk

noun

English Language Learners Definition of thunk

chiefly US : a dull, hollow sound made especially when a heavy object hits something

More from Merriam-Webster on thunk

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with thunk