hunker down

phrasal verb

hunkered down; hunkering down; hunkers down
chiefly US
1
: to lower the body to the ground by bending the legs
The hikers hunkered down under a cliff until the storm passed.
2
: to stay in a place for a period of time
The leaders hunkered down at a country estate for difficult peace negotiations.

Examples of hunker down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
By late afternoon, some officials said the time had passed for such efforts, suggesting that people who stayed behind hunker down instead. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2024 Still, her family was hunkering down and staying put. Lewis Kamb, NBC News, 5 Oct. 2024 While Lebanese civilians fled their homes to escape Israeli incursions early Tuesday, Israelis hunkered down in bomb shelters across the nation as air raid sirens signaled the Iranian missile barrage. Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2024 The official advised residents to shelter in place and hunker down. NBC News, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hunker down 

Dictionary Entries Near hunker down

Cite this Entry

“Hunker down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunker%20down. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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