Definitions
01to dip in liquid
B1 · Intermediate Cooking
v. to dip something, like a biscuit or bread, into a liquid for a short time.
v. to submerge an object briefly in a liquid, typically food into a beverage.
“He liked to dunk his ginger biscuits into his tea until they were soft.”
“The tradition of dunking biscotti into dessert wine is common in many regions of Italy to soften the hard texture of the almond biscuits.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'into' or 'in'.
02basketball
B2 · Upper Intermediate Sports
v. to jump high and push the ball down through the hoop with one or both hands.
v. to leap high enough to forcefully thrust the ball directly downward through the basket.
“The crowd cheered when the star player managed to dunk the ball over the defender.”
“The forward's ability to dunk with either hand makes him a formidable offensive threat during fast breaks.”
Usage
Can be used transitively with 'the ball' or intransitively.
Synonyms
03to mock online
C1 · Advanced Computing Informal · Slang
v. to criticize or make fun of someone's post on social media in a clever way.
v. to decisively defeat or humiliate an opponent in a public forum, particularly on social media.
“Everyone started to dunk on him after he posted that embarrassing photo.”
“The politician's poorly researched tweet led to thousands of users dunking on him within minutes of the post going live.”
Usage
Almost always used with the preposition 'on'.
04basketball shot
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Sports
n. a shot in basketball where the player jumps and pushes the ball down through the hoop.
n. a high-percentage shot in basketball performed by jumping and powering the ball through the rim.
“His powerful dunk at the end of the game secured the victory for the team.”
“The highlight reel featured a spectacular 360-degree dunk that left the commentators speechless.”
Real-World Examples
“I'm learning to breathe properly, dunk my head under and let the water carry me, rather than fight against it.” “You can’t dunk a basketball by watching NBA highlight reels.” Etymology
From Pennsylvania German dunke, from Middle High German dunken, from Old High German dunkōn (“to dip, submerge, dunk”), from Proto-West Germanic þunkōn (“to make wet”), possibly from Proto-Germanic þunkōną, from Proto-Indo-European *teng- (“to moisten, wet”). Cognate with German tunken (“to dunk”), Latin tingō (“to wet, moisten”), Ancient Greek τέγγω (téngō, “to wet, moisten”). Related to taint, tincture, tint.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. slam dunk
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/dunk
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0