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

During the call, my dad reminisced about his childhood on an Air Force base in New Mexico, where everyone would gather overnight in a vast underground bunker during fallout drills. —Jonah Walters, Longreads, 24 Oct. 2024

The Israeli military says the bunker contains living quarters and amenities for extended stays, equipment for commanding Hezbollah members from underground, and a vast fortune. —Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Oct. 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