SINKING Synonyms: 411 Similar and Opposite Words

sinking 1 of 3

adjective

as in fading

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Dissimilar Words

sinking

2 of 3

noun

as in foundering

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as in plummeting

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Dissimilar Words

sinking

3 of 3

verb

present participle of sink

as in deteriorating

to become worse or of less value his fortunes have steadily sunk since the breakup of his business

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in plunging

to go to a lower level especially abruptly I had just bought a bundle of shares of the stock when its price sank like a rock

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as in stifling

to refrain from openly showing or uttering sinks his pride and makes the first step towards a reconciliation

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as in vanishing

to cease to be visible that evening we sat on the beach, dreamily watching the sun sink beneath the horizon

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as in reducing

to diminish the price or value of the slightest nick will sink the price of a piece of Tiffany glass

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as in humiliating

to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes the revelation that he has been embezzling for years definitely sinks him in my opinion

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as in falling

to lead or extend downward the road sinks abruptly after that curve

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as in weakening

to lose bodily strength or vigor the old woman only sunk further after she was moved to the nursing home

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of sinking

Noun

More than 3,000 families in the complex were affected by the quake, residents estimate, and most of the buildings were damaged, with some crushed, tilted, or sinking. — Tibisay Zea, Christian Science Monitor, 27 July 2026 News of the body recovery piqued wide interest in light of the sinking of the Volare, a 49-foot three-story vessel that capsized July 14 near Alcatraz. — Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 25 July 2026 When the sheriff's office arrived at the scene, the plane was on fire and sinking. — Abc News, ABC News, 23 July 2026 The sinking has claimed at least two lives and prompted a multi-agency search and recovery operation in one of the Bay Area's busiest waterways. — James Ward, USA Today, 18 July 2026 The body of a second victim was recovered Thursday following the sinking of a three-level yacht near Alcatraz Island and has been identified by San Francisco authorities as a Sacramento County resident. — Michael McGough July 16, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026 The second reason was that his sinking, two-seam fastball was getting pounded. — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 7 July 2026 That system sends air sinking, pressure increasing and temperatures rising. — Alexa St. John, Fortune, 30 June 2026 Finding the wreck Official records detailing Hōfuku Maru’s sinking were incomplete and inconsistent, Beckensall said. — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 18 June 2026

Verb

The right fielder, who signed a $240 million, four-year contract with the Dodgers in free agency, also made a lunging catch on Hoerner's sinking liner to right in the bottom of the second. — CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 General manager Chris Getz spent the deadline rearranging deck chairs on a ship that, against all odds, is not sinking – and the betting market hasn’t quite caught up to the vibes. — J.j. Bailey, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 Shipments bounced back from a low baseline in 2025, after the tariff dispute between the countries had intensified, briefly sinking volumes on the trans-Pacific eastbound route. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 4 Aug. 2026 The right fielder, who signed a $240 million, four-year contract with the Dodgers in free agency, also made a lunging catch on Hoerner’s sinking liner to right in the bottom of the second. — Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026 Sperm whales take their naps by first diving down a bit before the buoyant head turns toward the surface; by sinking tail-first to a depth of roughly 8 meters; or by slowly ascending to the surface after a deep dive (over 200 meters). — ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026 The landing was so gentle, in fact, that Ship 40 appeared to remain airtight and floated in the ocean rather than sinking to the bottom as prior prototypes have. — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026 The sinking air creates clear skies and allows the sun to heat the ground even more, causing temperatures to climb. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Oil prices got back to jumping on Wednesday, while sinking technology stocks dragged Wall Street lower amid uncertainty about what the Federal Reserve will do to get high inflation under control. — Stan Choe, Fortune, 29 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sinking

Adjective

The classic budget-friendly design features a high-rise waistband that stays put, stretchy fabric that’s moisture-wicking and non-fading, and versatile colors like classic black and army green.

— Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 June 2026
In Aniara, the entire natural world is simply absent, a fading, unsustainable memory of something once alive.

— Jenny Odell, Longreads, 2 June 2026

Definition of fading

Noun

The process, known as lithospheric foundering, resembles a geological process on Earth in which portions of the planet's outermost layer sink into the mantle.

— Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Any major foundering in New Mexico could have long-lasting consequences.

— Elliot Haspel, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2025

Definition of foundering

Noun

This review may have already given away a little too much, but high places and plummeting are important details in this story.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
With enrollment plummeting and bloated staffing levels, the district is already on shaky financial footing and can’t sustain payroll without drawing down its reserves.

— Aaron Garth Smith, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026

Definition of plummeting

Verb

Guzmán pointed to Colombia’s deteriorating fiscal position as the administration’s most immediate challenge.

— Armando Regil Velasco, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
The deteriorating security situation at sea is a huge challenge for everybody in the maritime shipping community.

— Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of deteriorating

Verb

The beauty chose a plunging black dress that showcased her cleavage.

— Sarah Sotoodeh , Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Schumer opted for a plunging white corset top with a sweetheart neckline and an asymmetrical peplum hemline that flared down to her upper thighs.

— Lara Walsh, InStyle, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of plunging

Verb

This prompted backlash from critics, who felt that the platforms were stifling free speech or putting their thumb on the scale politically.

— Max Tani, semafor.com, 3 Aug. 2026
The recurring power outages combined with the stifling heat have created collective insomnia on the island as residents struggle to get through the night.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of stifling

Verb

One week after Connecticut reserved $500 million from last year’s surplus to potentially replace vanishing federal dollars for human services, surging revenues already have replenished much of the state’s coffers.

— Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026
The idea was to memorialize a vanishing Eden and the end of his five years of vagabonding, working on rivers, paying no rent.

— Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of vanishing

Verb

Rising adoption of rooftop and distributed solar systems in South Africa is reducing national grid demand, squeezing utilities’ revenues and prompting interest in diversification.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
The goal is of course, to get more long-term LA Metro riders, but also by reducing cars on the road, traffic flow improves and vehicle emissions drop, said LA Metro.

— Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of reducing

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sinkholes

sinking

sinking fund

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Sinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sinking. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of sinking

adjective

noun

verb

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