dunk
Americanverb (used with object)
-
dunks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dunked,
past participle, past
-
dunking
present participle
-
to dip (a doughnut, cake, etc.) into coffee, milk, or the like, before eating.
-
to submerge in a liquid.
She dunked the curtains in the dye.
-
Basketball. to attempt to thrust (a ball) through the basket using a dunk shot.
verb (used without object)
-
dunks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dunked,
past participle, past
-
dunking
present participle
-
to dip or submerge something, oneself, etc., in a liquid.
She thinks it's vulgar to dunk. Let's dunk in the pool before dinner.
-
Basketball. to execute or attempt a dunk shot.
noun
-
dunks
plural
-
any flavorful sauce, dip, gravy, etc., into which portions of food are dipped before eating.
-
Basketball. dunk shot.
verb
-
to dip (bread, etc) in tea, soup, etc, before eating
-
to submerge or be submerged in liquid
Usage
What does dunk mean? Dunk means to dip or submerge something in liquid or something like a liquid. More specifically, it can refer to dipping foods into liquids or sauces or dips, like dunking a doughnut into coffee before eating it (but not for so long that it gets too soggy and part of it falls in—it’s a delicate process). In basketball, to dunk is to put the ball directly into the hoop, especially forcefully (this kind of dunking is the opposite of delicate). Such a shot is called a dunk or a slam-dunk or a slam or a jam or a stuff or a throw-down (or even more colorful names, if you’re Darryl Dawkins). Example: I like to dunk my fries into the milkshake—don’t knock it till you try it.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
dunksimple
-
dunkssimple
-
have dunkedperfect
-
has dunkedperfect
-
am dunkingprogressive
-
are dunkingprogressive
-
is dunkingprogressive
-
have been dunkingperfect progressive
-
has been dunkingperfect progressive
Past
-
dunkedsimple
-
had dunkedperfect
-
was dunkingprogressive
-
were dunkingprogressive
-
had been dunkingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dunk
An Americanism first recorded in 1865–70; from Pennsylvania Dutch dunke “to dip, immerse”; compare German tunken, Middle High German dunken, tunken, Old High German thunkōn, dunkōn
Vocabulary lists containing dunk
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
This was when Schmitt, believing he was on the verge of a slam dunk, accused Smith of perjury.
From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026
Rich Greenfield, a longtime media analyst, called the deal a “slam dunk win” for Paramount because it didn’t require the company to sell off any assets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
I'm learning to breathe properly, dunk my head under and let the water carry me, rather than fight against it.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
But hitting the $1 trillion goal is far from a slam dunk.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
“It repeats me to the heart,” be said, “that you should dunk so, my lord Sir Gawaine, for I know that while you are against me I shall never more be accorded with the King.”
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
He has a radar for the rim, sixth in the NBA in dunks per game in 2024-25.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
He soared for dunks and even swished a 3-pointer from the half-court line.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026
Yes, his game is short on poster dunks and rim-rattling highlights, but SGA is the game’s most ruthless superstar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026
Of his nine made shots, seven were dunks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2026
The entire gym rises up in anticipation and Boy21 dunks the ball with resounding authority.
From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick
In went the torn sourdough, which I thoroughly dunked in the custard, followed by crisped bacon, a small drizzle of bacon fat — sue me — cheddar, roasted peppers and minced onion.
From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026
He made amazing receptions and dunked against anybody.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
He made 142 3-pointers last season, and he dunked only 91 times.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 16, 2025
Brownell drained a three on the next possession, and Cofie dunked to cap off the run and give the Trojans their first double-digit lead of the game.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2025
Rocky dunked his tortilla in the chili beans and kept chewing; he didn’t care what they said.
From "Ceremony:" by Leslie Marmon Silko
The statue outside of Crypto.com Arena depicts her dunking a basketball.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
I worry that dunking on people doesn’t necessarily change their minds.
From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026
But the dunking spawned the legend of the "Curse of the Colonel" that said the Tigers would never win another title until the effigy was recovered.
From Barron's ● Dec. 3, 2025
He starts each morning by folding his hands in prayer, dunking his face in a sink full of ice water afterward.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2025
Ain't no way I could be dunking in a year.
From "Ghost" by Jason Reynolds
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
