HUNKER DOWN Definition & Meaning

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hunker down

[ huhng-ker doun ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb phrase

to crouch or squat on one’s heels:
Some of the taller kids have trouble with the exercises that involve a lot of hunkering down.
1. to hide, hide out, or take shelter, often for just a few hours or less, as from a pursuer or a storm:
  Runaways hunkered down in all sorts of places along the Underground Railroad.
  Rain pelted our boat through the night, but we were able to hunker down in a small harbor until daybreak.
2. to settle in to the safety of one’s home or other designated shelter for a potentially prolonged time, as would be necessitated by a natural disaster or an outbreak of a contagious disease:
  Before hunkering down, we made sure we had enough food, water, batteries, and first-aid supplies to last at least three weeks.
  Make a plan, and prepare to hunker down.
to hold resolutely or stubbornly to a policy, opinion, etc., when confronted by criticism, opposition, or unfavorable circumstances:
Rather than moving toward compromise, both sides continue to hunker down.
He hunkered down and refused to admit his guilt.
to give one’s full and earnest attention to a project, assignment, or other obligation:
No partying for me this weekend—I’ve got to hunker down and finish this term paper.

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��t¶�� History and Origins

Origin of hunker down¹

First recorded in 1720–30; originally Scottish; hunker ( def ) + down ¹( def )

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

But with the Braves already in the midst of a 17-straight-game stretch, the Dodgers were instead asked to “hunker down,” as manager Dave Roberts quipped before the game, and wait.

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As residents hunker down, social media users are finding humour in their shelved weekend plans.

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Instead, they may hunker down for an arid summer and then — if rain is sufficient — bloom in the spring of 2026, Becker said.

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Monuments typically limit camping to particular areas, he said as an example, while some people want to be able to hunker down far from other people.

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While keen surfers have been taking advantage of the wind and waves, most residents are hunkering down indoors.

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hunker hunkers

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hunker down

verb phrase

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Example Sentences

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