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plunk

plunked; plunks; plunking

To plunk is to abruptly drop an object (or yourself). Your daily routine, for example, might include rushing home after school so you can plunk yourself on the couch to play video games.

There are various ways to plunk: A waiter might plunk your hamburger on the table, and you could choose to plunk down a buck as a tip. You can also plunk the string of a guitar or other instrument, by plucking it casually or inexpressively: "I don't really know how to play the ukulele — I just like to plunk the strings." This last meaning is the original one, from an imitation of the sound of a plunk.

Definitions of plunk
  1. verb
    set (something or oneself) down with or as if with a noise
    synonyms: flump, plank, plonk, plop, plump, plump down, plunk down
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    type of:
    place down, put down, set down
    cause to sit or seat or be in a settled position or place
  2. verb
    make or move along with a sound as of a horse's hooves striking the ground
    synonyms: clop, clump, clunk
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    type of:
    go, sound
    make a certain noise or sound
  3. verb
    drop steeply
    synonyms: dive, plunge
    dump, plunge
    fall abruptly
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    types:
    show 6 types...
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    power-dive
    make a power dive
    nosedive
    plunge nose first; drop with the nose or front first, of aircraft
    duck
    submerge or plunge suddenly
    crash-dive
    descend steeply and rapidly
    chute, jump, parachute
    jump from an airplane and descend with a parachute
    sky dive, skydive
    jump from an airplane and perform various maneuvers before opening one's parachute
    type of:
    come down, descend, fall, go down
    move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
  4. verb
    pull lightly but sharply with a plucking motion
    synonyms: pick, pluck
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    types:
    twang
    pluck (strings of an instrument)
    type of:
    draw, force, pull
    cause to move by pulling
  5. noun
    a hollow twanging sound
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    type of:
    sound
    the sudden occurrence of an audible event
  6. noun
    (baseball) hitting a baseball so that it drops suddenly
    synonyms: plunker
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    type of:
    hit, hitting, striking
    the act of contacting one thing with another
  7. adverb
    with a short hollow thud
    synonyms: plop
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘plunk'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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