1
a
: bunk bed
b
: a built-in bed (as on a ship) that is often one of a tier of berths
c
: a sleeping place
2
: a feeding trough for farm animals and especially cattle
bunked; bunking; bunks
: to occupy a bunk or bed : stay the night
bunked with a friend for the night
: to provide with a bunk or bed
British
: a hurried departure or escape
—usually used in the phrase do a bunk
Examples of bunk in a Sentence
Noun (1)
crawled into their bunks and went to sleep immediately
Verb
We'll bunk here for the night.
She was able to bunk with friends.
Noun (2)
the idea that the Great Wall of China is visible from the moon is pure bunk
Noun (3)
he waited until everyone was looking the other way, then did a bunk from the room
Recent Examples on the Web
Rachel Gallaher, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2025
My favorite hut is Zealand, because the wood-burning stove keeps the bunks toasty on chilly nights.
—Outside Online, 12 Mar. 2025
Micky Horstman, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025
The Dolphins were forced to bunk out at a downtown Oakland hotel, in a fishbowl environment.
—Mark Purdy, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bunk
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Noun
The upper level holds the bar and lounge, four guest rooms (including a six-bed bunk room, earmarked for the client’s grandchildren), and a large outdoor entertaining space.
—Rachel Gallaher, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2025
My favorite hut is Zealand, because the wood-burning stove keeps the bunks toasty on chilly nights.
—Outside Online, 12 Mar. 2025
Verb
Residential advisers had to bunk with students, and some were forced into off-campus housing.
—Micky Horstman, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025
The Dolphins were forced to bunk out at a downtown Oakland hotel, in a fishbowl environment.
—Mark Purdy, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bunk
Cite this Entry
“Bunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bunk. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bunk
2 of 3 verb1
: to sleep in a bunk or bed
2
: to provide with a bunk or bed
bunk
3 of 3 nounEtymology
Noun
probably a shortened form of bunker
Noun
short for bunkum, from Buncombe County, North Carolina
Word Origin
The word bunk is a shortened form of bunkum, which came from the name Buncombe County, North Carolina. Around 1820, the congressman for the district in which this county was located decided to give a very long, boring speech to the Congress. This speech had nothing at all to do with what was under discussion. Still he stubbornly made it, just to please the voters of Buncombe County. The word buncombe and its other spelling bunkum quickly caught on as a name for empty political nonsense. It didn't take long before its use broadened to include any kind of empty or insincere talk or action. In time it was shortened to the more emphatic bunk.
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