plunk

American  

[pluhngk] / plʌŋk /

verb (used with object)

1. to pluck (a stringed instrument or its strings); twang.

   to plunk a guitar.

2. to throw, push, put, drop, etc., heavily or suddenly; plump (often followed bydown ).

   Plunk down your money. She plunked herself down on the seat.

3. to push, shove, toss, etc. (sometimes followed by in, over, etc.).

   to plunk the ball over the net; to plunk a pencil into a drawer.

---

verb (used without object)

1. to give forth a twanging sound.

2. to drop heavily or suddenly; plump (often followed bydown ).

   to plunk down somewhere and take a nap.

noun

1. act or sound of plunking.

2. Informal. a direct, forcible blow.

3. Slang. a dollar.

adverb

1. Informal. with a plunking sound.

2. Informal. squarely; exactly.

   The tennis ball landed plunk in the middle of the net.

plunk British  

/ plʌŋk /

verb

1. to pluck (the strings) of (a banjo, harp, etc) or (of such an instrument) to give forth a sound when plucked

2. (often foll by down) to drop or be dropped, esp heavily or suddenly

---

noun

1. the act or sound of plunking

2. informal a hard blow

interjection

1. an exclamation imitative of the sound of something plunking

adverb

1. informal exactly; squarely

   plunk into his lap

Etymology

Origin of plunk

First recorded in 1760–70; expressive word akin to pluck

Explanation

To plunk is to abruptly drop an object (or yourself). Your daily routine, for example, might include rushing home after school so you can plunk yourself on the couch to play video games. There are various ways to plunk: A waiter might plunk your hamburger on the table, and you could choose to plunk down a buck as a tip. You can also plunk the string of a guitar or other instrument, by plucking it casually or inexpressively: "I don't really know how to play the ukulele — I just like to plunk the strings." This last meaning is the original one, from an imitation of the sound of a plunk.

Example Sentences

Plenty of you who regularly plunk down thousands for a business-class seat care about just one thing, of course: horizontal sleep.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

The persistent plunk, plunk, plunk of icicles dripping into an aluminum gutter — a sound that is less birdsong than plumbing.

From Salon • Mar. 1, 2026

The coach also met with donors who could plunk a few gold bars into the NIL war chest and unleashed a “MOW!!!” tweet around midnight earlier this week.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2024

That doleful mood pervades these interpretations: a sadly beautiful tone; an emotional climax that evaporates rather than reaching a resolution; a heartbreakingly simple plunk of high keys.

From New York Times • Jan. 25, 2024

There was a final plunk from the piano, and silence.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• plop