hunker down: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumInformal, Journalistic, Military
Quick answer
What does “hunker down” mean?
To lower your body into a squatting position, close to the ground.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To lower your body into a squatting position, close to the ground.
To settle in and stay put, often in a determined, defensive, or enduring way, especially in order to wait out or endure a difficult situation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More common in American English; in British English, the physical sense is less familiar, and the figurative sense is understood but used primarily in news/media contexts.
Connotations
In both varieties, it implies resilience and endurance. In American English, it has stronger military/storm survival connotations. In British English, it's more likely to be seen as a direct Americanism.
Frequency
Used more frequently in US media and daily speech. In the UK, its use often signals a direct adoption of an American journalistic or military term.
Grammar
How to Use “hunker down” in a Sentence
hunker down (intransitive)hunker down + prepositional phrase (e.g., hunker down for the night)hunker down + to-infinitive (e.g., hunker down to wait out the storm)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hunker down” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Residents were advised to hunker down as the severe gales approached the coast.
- The company is hunkering down, focusing on its core markets during the trade uncertainty.
American English
- We need to hunker down in the basement until this tornado warning passes.
- The team hunkered down in the film studio to finish editing before the deadline.
adverb
British English
- N/A - not used as an adverb.
American English
- N/A - not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- N/A - not used as an adjective.
American English
- N/A - not used as an adjective.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Describes companies reducing spending, cutting costs, and focusing on core operations to survive an economic downturn.
Academic
Rare; might be used metaphorically in history/political science to describe populations or armies adopting a defensive posture.
Everyday
Used for preparing for bad weather (e.g., a snowstorm) or settling in for a quiet night at home.
Technical
Used in meteorology/disaster preparedness reports advising the public to take shelter.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hunker down”
- Using it transitively: ❌ 'He hunkered down the house.' (Correct: 'He hunkered down *in* the house.')
- Confusing it with 'buckle down' (which means to start working hard, not to take shelter).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is primarily informal. It is common in journalism, everyday speech, and military contexts, but would be replaced by more formal terms like 'take shelter', 'adopt a defensive posture', or 'consolidate operations' in very formal writing.
Yes, but with a specific nuance. It means to settle in determinedly to work through a task, often implying you will not be disturbed for a period. (e.g., 'I need to hunker down and finish this report.') This is an extension of the core 'settle in and endure' meaning.
'Hunker down' focuses on settling in defensively to endure an external threat or situation (a storm, crisis). 'Buckle down' focuses on applying oneself diligently to a task that requires effort (studying, a project). You 'hunker down' *because of* a storm; you 'buckle down' *to* your studies.
It is of Germanic origin, related to the word 'haunch' (the hip and thigh). It entered English from Scots, meaning 'to squat down on one's haunches'.
To lower your body into a squatting position, close to the ground.
Hunker down: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhʌŋ.kə ˈdaʊn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhʌŋ.kɚ ˈdaʊn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “hunker down in the bunker”
- “hunker down for the long haul”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a HUNter who needs to stay low and still (to HUNKER DOWN) to wait for his prey or to avoid being seen during a storm.
Conceptual Metaphor
ENDURANCE IS MAINTAINING A LOW, STABLE PHYSICAL POSTURE. / PREPARING FOR DIFFICULTY IS TAKING COVER.
Practice
Quiz
In which scenario is 'hunker down' used LEAST appropriately?