dunk
Americanverb (used with object)
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dunks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dunked,
past participle, past
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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.
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Basketball. to attempt to thrust (a ball) through the basket using a dunk shot.
verb (used without object)
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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.
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Basketball. to execute or attempt a dunk shot.
noun
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dunks
plural
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any flavorful sauce, dip, gravy, etc., into which portions of food are dipped before eating.
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Basketball. dunk shot.
verb
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to dip (bread, etc) in tea, soup, etc, before eating
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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
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dunksimple
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dunkssimple
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have dunkedperfect
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has dunkedperfect
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am dunkingprogressive
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are dunkingprogressive
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is dunkingprogressive
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have been dunkingperfect progressive
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has been dunkingperfect progressive
Past
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dunkedsimple
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had dunkedperfect
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was dunkingprogressive
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were dunkingprogressive
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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
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
When the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit last December to halt the project, the press corps pushed the litigation as a slam dunk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Of course, betting on sports rights isn’t a slam dunk.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
There hadn’t been one dunk in the whole game but I knew there was going to be one soon.
From "Slam!" by Walter Dean Myers
The high-flying wing’s growth this offseason caught the attention of his teammates, who are eager to throw him lobs for dunks and see him sky for rebounds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026
He installed himself courtside, the Windows Clippy among the die-hards, leaping from his seat after dunks and wiggling like one of those inflatable tubes at a car wash.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
He soared for dunks and even swished a 3-pointer from the half-court line.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026
Rioux dunks without jumping, a feat highlighted by his first college field goal against Saint Francis in December 2025 and a memorable March Madness moment in 2026 with an offensive rebound and put-back dunk.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
Celia tears a breadstick in half and dunks the cheesy middle into the marinara so hard that sauce spills over the edges of the bowl.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
He wasn’t really counting the number of shots he swatted — “one or two” — or lobs he dunked — “like four probably” — in his official Lakers practice debut Tuesday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
He made 142 3-pointers last season, and he dunked only 91 times.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 16, 2025
She invites Hai in, urging him to “Go on, sit. You look like a dunked cookie.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2025
McIlroy then found the green with his tee shot on the iconic par-three 17th 'island hole', but Spaun dunked his ball in the water to effectively end his hopes.
From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2025
It’s like being dunked in water, coming up gasping and spluttering.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
I worry that dunking on people doesn’t necessarily change their minds.
From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026
After securing victory with a service winner, Sabalenka celebrated by dunking her head in an ice cooler.
From BBC ● Mar. 15, 2026
One of the major contributors has been 6-foot-3 junior guard Johnny Thyfault, who’s averaging 16 points and has become a fan favorite because of his dunking skills.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 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
“Sure, I do,” Cletus answered, sipping at the coffee, a strand of his stringy hair nearly dunking itself.
From "Missing May" by Cynthia Rylant
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