hunker
verb
hun·ker ˈhəŋ-kər 
hunkered; hunkering ˈhəŋ-k(ə-)riŋ
intransitive verb
1
: crouch, squat —usually used with down
2
: to settle in or dig in for a sustained period —used with down
hunker down for a good long wait — New Yorker
Synonyms
- couch
- crouch
- huddle
- hunch
- scrunch
- squat
- squinch
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Some adopt a woe-is-us mindset and hunker down in their fraidy holes to wait out the storm. 
Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 Still, the gloomy mood from The Conference Board survey raises the risk of a self-fulfilling prophesy, one in which a recession occurs because businesses hunker down in anticipation of one. Matt Egan, CNN, 18 May 2022 Hang out or hunker down in these versatile backpacking tents that maximize space and offer superior ventilation, with multiple configuration options to adapt to the weather and your activity. Outside Online, 10 May 2021 Detainees would dig holes in the dirt under the barracks and brush away the scorpions and rattlesnakes to hunker down and avoid the midday heat. Bo Emerson, ajc, 1 Aug. 2022 While the implosion of the crypto markets has led most survivors to hunker down and conserve cash, SBF has seized the moment as a buying opportunity. Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2022 Recession worries are prompting many companies to hunker down and reduce spending. Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 28 July 2022 Scientists also know why: After enduring millions of years of extreme drought, frequent fire, and hungry herbivores, grassland organisms have evolved to stock up and hunker down. Julia Rosen, The Atlantic, 25 July 2022 Venture capitalists have begun advising startups to hunker down and cut costs, so companies have started to spend less on marketing. Jeff Kauflin, Forbes, 17 June 2022 See More
Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 Still, the gloomy mood from The Conference Board survey raises the risk of a self-fulfilling prophesy, one in which a recession occurs because businesses hunker down in anticipation of one. Matt Egan, CNN, 18 May 2022 Hang out or hunker down in these versatile backpacking tents that maximize space and offer superior ventilation, with multiple configuration options to adapt to the weather and your activity. Outside Online, 10 May 2021 Detainees would dig holes in the dirt under the barracks and brush away the scorpions and rattlesnakes to hunker down and avoid the midday heat. Bo Emerson, ajc, 1 Aug. 2022 While the implosion of the crypto markets has led most survivors to hunker down and conserve cash, SBF has seized the moment as a buying opportunity. Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2022 Recession worries are prompting many companies to hunker down and reduce spending. Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 28 July 2022 Scientists also know why: After enduring millions of years of extreme drought, frequent fire, and hungry herbivores, grassland organisms have evolved to stock up and hunker down. Julia Rosen, The Atlantic, 25 July 2022 Venture capitalists have begun advising startups to hunker down and cut costs, so companies have started to spend less on marketing. Jeff Kauflin, Forbes, 17 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
probably akin to Middle Dutch hucken, huken to squat, Middle Low German hōken to squat, peddle, Old Norse hūka to squat
First Known Use
1720, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing hunker
Kids Definition
hunker
verb
hun·ker ˈhəŋ-kər
hunkered; hunkering
: crouch entry 1
She hunkered in the tall grass.