sunken

American  

[suhng-kuhn] / ˈsʌŋ kən /

adjective

1. having sunk or been sunk beneath the surface; submerged.

2. having settled to a lower level, as walls.

3. situated or lying on a lower level.

   a sunken living room.

4. hollow; depressed.

   sunken cheeks.

---

verb

1. Obsolete. a past participle of sink.

sunken British  

/ ˈsʌŋkən /

verb

1. a past participle of sink

---

adjective

1. unhealthily hollow

   sunken cheeks

2. situated at a lower level than the surrounding or usual one

3. situated under water; submerged

4. depressed; low

   sunken spirits

Other Word Forms

• half-sunken adjective
• unsunken adjective

Etymology

Origin of sunken

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, past participle of sinken to sink

Example Sentences

They think it could be from a stone age society whose disappearance under rising seas was the origin of a local sunken city myth.

From BBC

With implausibly identical language, they testified that they had heard her speak of sunken Allied ships after a naval battle in October 1944:

From Los Angeles Times

His face is sunken, but his deep blue eyes glint with dark malice.

From Literature

At this point, with the search for sunken vessels still in its infancy, Throckmorton was among the world’s greatest experts in dating the approximate age of a shipwreck.

From Literature

One of their “light touch” moves included removing planters in the sunken garden area out front so more people can eventually sit out there once the planned restaurant goes in, Herzog said.

From The Wall Street Journal