sunken

[ˈsʌŋkən]

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sunke

An object or place that's sunken is below the level of what's normal. A ship might sink and stay at the bottom.

When we talk about something being sunken, it usually means it's lower than it used to be or than its surroundings. For example, a room might have a sunken area for sitting on the floor, which is a low spot in comparison to the rest of the space. A lake can be a sunken valley because it's naturally lower than the land around it. People might use the word sunken when talking about old buildings or ruins too – like an archaeological site where some parts are below ground level and others are above.

How common is "sunken"?

Word sunken is considered rare in modern English.
It appears most frequently in fiction texts and less often in other writings.

Definitions

verb

(heading, physical) To move or be moved into something.
(heading, social) To diminish or be diminished.
To conceal and appropriate.
To keep out of sight; to suppress; to ignore.
To pay absolutely.
Example: I have sunk thousands of pounds into this project.
To reduce or extinguish by payment.
Example: to sink the national debt
To be overwhelmed or depressed; to fail in strength.
To decrease in volume, as a river; to subside; to become diminished in volume or in apparent height.

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descendgo downdipdunksubmerge

adjective

Caused, by natural or unnatural means, to be depressed (lower than the surrounding area) or submerged
Example: The sunken ship lay at a depth of 100 feet
(of eyes or cheeks) Seeming to have fallen deeper back into the face due to tiredness, illness, or old age.
Example: She looked old and thin with sunken cheeks and hollow eyes.

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Real examples of "sunken" in context

Could Jack Have Survived on the Titanic Raft? | MythBusters | Discovery

Entertainment

Alright, Jamie, at the end of the film, Titanic, Rose and Jack are distributed among the detritus of the sunken ship

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