hunkered (down)

past tense of hunker (down)
as in crouched
to lie low with the limbs close to the body had to hunker down so no one would see him behind the gate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hunkered (down)
Verb
  • After his rep against defensive end Odafe Oweh, Tunsil grabbed his left arm and crouched in obvious pain.
    Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Those inside the room crouched down on the floor in the darkness, waiting for help for 30 minutes.
    Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Schottenheimer huddled the team up for a longer than usual postgame discussion because of the fights.
    Jon Machota, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Every lunch, Becerra and half a dozen friends would around a picnic table, huddled over a deck of cards.
    Ben Paviour August 17, Sacbee.com, 17 Aug. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Hunkered (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hunkered%20%28down%29. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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