sinker

American  

[sing-ker] / ˈsɪŋ kər /

noun

1. a person or thing that sinks.

2. a person employed in sinking, as one who sinks shafts.

3. a weight, as of lead, for sinking a fishing line or net below the surface of the water.

4. Slang. a doughnut or, sometimes, a biscuit or muffin.

5. Also called sinkerball.  Baseball. a fastball that curves downward sharply as it reaches the plate.

6. diesinker.

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sinker British  

/ ˈsɪŋkə /

noun

1. a weight attached to a fishing line, net, etc, to cause it to sink in water

2. a person who sinks shafts, etc

3. an informal word for doughnut

4. See hook

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sinker Idioms  

1. see hook, line, and sinker.

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Other Word Forms

• sinkerless adjective

Etymology

Origin of sinker

First recorded in 1520–30; 1870–75 in the sense “doughnut“; 1930–35 in the baseball sense; sink + -er ¹

Example Sentences

I am a believer that you should not take the sentiment data hook, line, and sinker because we know that what a consumer says and what they do can sometimes be different things.

From Barron's

He tinkered with new pitches, including a cutter and sinker, but still couldn’t execute his trademark splitter the way he wanted.

From Los Angeles Times

But he had one of the best ground-ball rates in the sport thanks to a sinker he used more than ever before in his career.

From Los Angeles Times

Pages came to the plate next, and swung through a first-pitch sinker.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s like the one pitch I can be late with, and it’s in the zone,” Glasnow said of his sinker, which he had thrown sparingly prior to getting hurt.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bun
• pastry