bunker

1 of 2

noun

bun·​ker ˈbəŋ-kər 

1

: a bin or compartment for storage

especially : one on shipboard for the ship's fuel

2

a

: a protective embankment or dugout

especially : a fortified chamber mostly below ground often built of reinforced concrete and provided with embrasures

b

: a sand trap or embankment constituting a hazard on a golf course

bunker

2 of 2

verb

bunkered; bunkering ˈbəŋ-k(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

: to fill a ship's bunker with coal or oil

transitive verb

1

: to place or store in a bunker

2

: to hit (a golf ball or shot) into a bunker

Examples of bunker in a Sentence

Noun

The ammunition is stored in concrete bunkers.

Verb

She bunkered her tee shot.

They bunkered just enough coal to get them to the port.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In fact, in many ways it was made even more difficult because Ferguson is playing someone who doesn’t know how to swim; after a lifetime in a bunker, Juliette has never spent this much time underwater. —Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 9 Dec. 2024

Yes, there are several that feature singing and dancing, but none of those take place in a lavish underground bunker occupied by a wealthy family 25 years after Earth’s environment has become uninhabitable. —Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 7 Dec. 2024

Verb

This is a trend that Sporting KC must buck, but Vermes doesn’t think his team needs to bunker in. —Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2024

Often, Webster bunkered in her room, even when her bandmates went to eat. —Dani Blum, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Scots bonker chest, box

First Known Use

Noun

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1886, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing bunker

• bunker buster
• bunker mentality

Kids Definition

bunker

noun

bun·​ker

ˈbəŋ-kər

1

: a large bin (as for coal or oil on a ship)

2

: a shelter dug into the ground and made strong against attack

3

: sand trap

Biographical Definition

Bunker

biographical name

Bun·​ker ˈbəŋ-kər 

Ellsworth 1894–1984 American diplomat