Word
sank
US/ˈsæŋk/
UK/sˈæŋk/
Definition
v. the past tense of 'sink'. You use it to say that something went down under the surface of water or another liquid.
v. the past tense of 'sink'. Describes the movement of an object or person toward the bottom of a liquid or the gradual lowering of a level.
Examples
“The heavy stone sank to the bottom of the lake.”
“The sun slowly sank below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of deep orange and purple.”
“As the hull breached, the vessel sank rapidly into the icy depths, leaving only a few pieces of debris floating on the surface.”
Examples
simple
“The heavy stone sank to the bottom of the lake.”
contextual
“The sun slowly sank below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of deep orange and purple.”
complex
“As the hull breached, the vessel sank rapidly into the icy depths, leaving only a few pieces of debris floating on the surface.”
Usage
The past tense of 'sink'; the past participle is 'sunk'.
Pitfall
The boat has sank.
The boat has sunk.
Learners often confuse the past tense 'sank' with the past participle 'sunk' when using the present perfect.