1
as in deteriorates
to become worse or of less value
his fortunes have steadily sunk since the breakup of his business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in plunges
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 stifles
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 disappears
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 reduces
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 humiliates
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 falls
to lead or extend downward
the road sinks abruptly after that curve
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in fades
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
as in dumps
a place of great vice and corruption
was able to rise above the sink that was his birthplace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of sinks
Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 29 Mar. 2026
Playback time sinks a lot with ANC enabled, hitting just 8 hours, or 36 including the case.
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026
Battered by bombs and torpedoes, the USS California slowly sinks into Pearl Harbor.
—Stephen Smith, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2026
Astin sinks into his pathetic character with full commitment, but the running gag about Ron getting more upset about the possibility of being banned from the fast-food restaurant than anything else is hammered so relentlessly that the character just seems mentally challenged.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 14 Mar. 2026
When the sun sinks below the horizon, nothing beats the retro pleasure of a movie under the twinkling stars.
—Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
Now Duke and its coach must hope that Saturday’s injury woes are just a bump in the road of a potentially special season — and not something that sinks the Blue Devils’ chances of making history.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
When the eclipsed moon sinks lower in the western sky, the sun will begin to brighten the eastern sky.
—Dean Regas, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Feb. 2026
The weather will start to change Sunday when a low-pressure system sinks south.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Vessel sinks come in different sizes.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2026
The soap was almost out at one of the kitchen hand sinks, no food thermometer was available and a buildup of food debris was found on some of the equipment.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
One of the handwash sinks leaked water onto the floor.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
One out of the two washing sinks were draining slowly in the women’s restroom.
—Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Bathroom Spiff up showers and make sinks sparkle with these innovations that make the bathroom less of a cleaning chore.
—Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Mar. 2026
With a lightweight, fluid texture, the sunscreen sinks right into the skin, drying with a matte finish.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2026
The pro explains that sinks, faucets, and mirrors collect water spots, toothpaste splatter, and fingerprints throughout the day.
—Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
Unlike a hard plastic jerkbait, which immediately rises when not in motion, a soft plastic jerkbait hovers or, if on a weighted hook, slowly sinks.
—Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 29 Mar. 2026
Playback time sinks a lot with ANC enabled, hitting just 8 hours, or 36 including the case.
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026
Battered by bombs and torpedoes, the USS California slowly sinks into Pearl Harbor.
—Stephen Smith, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2026
Astin sinks into his pathetic character with full commitment, but the running gag about Ron getting more upset about the possibility of being banned from the fast-food restaurant than anything else is hammered so relentlessly that the character just seems mentally challenged.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 14 Mar. 2026
When the sun sinks below the horizon, nothing beats the retro pleasure of a movie under the twinkling stars.
—Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
Now Duke and its coach must hope that Saturday’s injury woes are just a bump in the road of a potentially special season — and not something that sinks the Blue Devils’ chances of making history.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
When the eclipsed moon sinks lower in the western sky, the sun will begin to brighten the eastern sky.
—Dean Regas, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Feb. 2026
The weather will start to change Sunday when a low-pressure system sinks south.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
There are also forks, tables, chandeliers and sinks.
—Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Vessel sinks come in different sizes.
—Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2026
The soap was almost out at one of the kitchen hand sinks, no food thermometer was available and a buildup of food debris was found on some of the equipment.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
One of the handwash sinks leaked water onto the floor.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
One out of the two washing sinks were draining slowly in the women’s restroom.
—Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Bathroom Spiff up showers and make sinks sparkle with these innovations that make the bathroom less of a cleaning chore.
—Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Mar. 2026
With a lightweight, fluid texture, the sunscreen sinks right into the skin, drying with a matte finish.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2026
The pro explains that sinks, faucets, and mirrors collect water spots, toothpaste splatter, and fingerprints throughout the day.
—Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sinks
Verb
-
When hospitals operate under extreme and unpredictable demand spikes, patient safety deteriorates.—
Eugene Litvak,
STAT,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Haldea cautioned that the secondary market could struggle to absorb a large wave of redemptions if investor sentiment deteriorates sharply.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
His documentary plunges viewers into a 1996 expedition in Brazil to contact the isolate Indigenous Koruba people in the Amazon rainforest.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Set in a remote harbor village near the DMZ, the sci-fi thriller kicks off with reports of a mysterious discovery that plunges the town into a desperate fight for survival.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Nothing stifles a good time like being stressed about what is going on at home without any way to intervene.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Some parents have no issue monitoring and restricting how kids are using social media, AI chat bots, and even texting apps to keep them safe, while others worry too much oversight is an invasion of privacy and stifles their child's ability to develop independence.—
Liz Regalia,
Parents,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Still, critics argue that once data is collected, the risk never fully disappears.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
When the coloring’s finished, simply wash the item in a regular laundry cycle and the ink disappears completely, ready for the next creative session.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
By banning advertising by legal operators during live sporting events and sharply limiting promotions, the proposal drastically reduces the visibility of the regulated market.—
Cláudia Nunes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Technologies such as Revo-Su, which significantly reduces water consumption, and B210, which enables biodegradability in stretch fabrics, are direct outcomes of this focus.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Later that season, Eric humiliates Bill in front of their Pierpoint colleagues by insulting his work quality and Bill dies from brain cancer.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Thecla humiliates him by ripping his robe and tearing the wreath off his head.—
Christy Cobb,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Support falls somewhat, to 70%, among non-MAGA Republicans.—
Anne Bryson,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Payton’s falls short of Chamberlain Gary Payton II had a chance to equal the feat of one of the game’s greatest players on Friday.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The animation is crisp and gorgeous, and there are a few moments of stylization — such as when the main character Coco floats in the air with her mentor Qifrey and the world around them fades from frame — that captures a taste of what makes the manga such a visual triumph.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Most regular solo diners say discomfort fades after the first few times trying it.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sinks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sinks. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
