sinking 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of sinkingnext
as in fading

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sinking

2 of 3

noun

1
as in foundering

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in plummeting

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sinking

3 of 3

verb

present participle of sink
1
as in deteriorating
to become worse or of less value his fortunes have steadily sunk since the breakup of his business

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in plunging
to go to a lower level especially abruptly I had just bought a bundle of shares of the stock when its price sank like a rock

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stifling
to refrain from openly showing or uttering sinks his pride and makes the first step towards a reconciliation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in vanishing
to cease to be visible that evening we sat on the beach, dreamily watching the sun sink beneath the horizon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in reducing
to diminish the price or value of the slightest nick will sink the price of a piece of Tiffany glass

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in humiliating
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes the revelation that he has been embezzling for years definitely sinks him in my opinion

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in falling
to lead or extend downward the road sinks abruptly after that curve

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in weakening
to lose bodily strength or vigor the old woman only sunk further after she was moved to the nursing home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sinking
  1. deteriorating
  2. plunging
  3. stifling
  4. reducing
  5. falling
  6. crumbling
  7. dipping
  8. swallowing
Verb
  • In February 1966, after a rapidly deteriorating relationship with the NSW government, Utzon left the project.
    Michael Y. Park, Architectural Digest, 9 Dec. 2024
  • In a parallel development, Jordan's Interior Minister Mazin al-Faraya announced the closure of the Naseeb border crossing with Syria due to deteriorating security conditions.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
Definition of deteriorating
Verb
  • Ariana Grande Grande wore a plunging black-and-white tweed minidress over sheer black tights.
    Hannah Malach, WWD, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Amazon has all sorts of one-piece styles to choose from—including dreamy, detailed teddies and lace babydoll chemises, as well as plunging bodysuits with bold mesh cut-outs.
    Malia Griggs, Glamour, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of plunging
Verb
  • But those constraints can be stifling, often forcing advertisers to stick to predictable storytelling beats that have worked in the past, resulting in ads that can feel generic.
    Anne Marie Nelson-Bogle, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
  • At the same time, maintaining strong security without stifling innovation is always a pressing concern for both organizations and governments.
    Rizwan Jan, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of stifling
Verb
  • Miller's perseverance and expertise have been instrumental in overcoming these challenges, helping Cadence OTC play a crucial role in reducing unintended pregnancies and improving reproductive health outcomes.
    Geri Stengel, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • In addition to minimizing the effects of UV damage, this serum also features pumpkin ferment and pomegranate extract—both of which help to dissolve dead skin cells, thus reducing the appearance of pores, acne, and overall dullness.
    Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of reducing
Verb
  • Digitalization Is Not Really Optional Anymore With rising expectations around sustainability and resource management, sticking with old systems can put any business at risk of falling behind.
    Evan J. Schwartz, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • The nearly 300-mile trek from Atlanta was pivotal in showing the Confederacy was falling apart as Sherman’s troops gutted much of the key slave state.
    Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of falling
Verb
  • Not only are his satellite states rejecting Kremlin influence, but the Russian economy is crumbling, lurching towards severe stagflation.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024
  • The time has come to move upstream—to repair the crumbling bridge of American health rather than relying on the safety nets of downstream solutions.
    Robert Pearl, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of crumbling
Verb
  • With daily high temperatures barely dipping below 80 degrees, the Valley's weather remains warmer than usual for this time of year, and the chilly season is still beyond sight, according to the National Weather Service in Phoenix.
    Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 10 Dec. 2024
  • Massive helicopters buzzed around Pepperdine University on Tuesday, one dipping down into a lagoon to suck up water before heading for an immense plume of smoke in the distance.
    Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of dipping
Verb
  • Bird flu symptoms in humans include typical flu-like symptoms such as eye redness, sore throat, runny nose, cough, diarrhea, vomiting, body aches, fatigue, trouble swallowing or fever.
    Jamie Gumbrecht, CNN, 11 Dec. 2024
  • The longest ever captured in Florida measured 19 feet, and biologists have documented a 16-foot snake swallowing a 77-pound deer.
    Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 7 Dec. 2024
Definition of swallowing
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near sinking

sinkholes

sinking

sinking fund

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Sinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sinking. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on sinking

Nglish: Translation of sinking for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of sinking for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

Point of View: It's Personal

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
naughty or nice
Are you naughty or nice? Quiz He's making a quiz, and checking it twice...