sink
B1Neutral (used in all registers from informal to technical)
Definition
Meaning
To descend, fall, or submerge below a surface, especially into water or another liquid.
To gradually decrease in value, amount, intensity, or condition; to fail; to invest money or effort; a fixed basin with a water supply and drain.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word is highly polysemous, functioning as a verb (both transitive and intransitive) and a noun. The verb often implies a downward movement that is not necessarily rapid but is definitive and often negative. The noun sense is a common domestic item.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In noun form, 'sink' is standard in both. In the past tense, both 'sank' and 'sunk' are used, but 'sank' is more common as the simple past (e.g., 'The ship sank') in formal writing in both varieties, though 'sunk' is frequently heard in informal American speech. The past participle is 'sunk'.
Connotations
Similar in both. The phrase 'sink school' (UK) has a direct equivalent in 'failing school' (US).
Frequency
Noun sense is equally frequent. Verb senses (decline, fail) are slightly more common in financial/business contexts in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[VERB] (intransitive: The stone sank.)[VERB] + into + [NOUN] (She sank into the chair.)[VERB] + [NOUN] (transitive: They sank the vessel.)[VERB] + [NOUN] + into + [NOUN] (He sank all his savings into the business.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “sink or swim”
- “everything but the kitchen sink”
- “a sinking feeling”
- “sink your teeth into something”
- “sink without a trace”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Profits are expected to sink following the market correction.
Academic
The city began to sink due to subsidence and groundwater extraction.
Everyday
Can you put the dirty plates in the sink, please?
Technical
The geologist explained how the continental plate can sink into the mantle at a subduction zone.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The sun sank below the horizon.
- He sank the winning putt in the golf match.
- We can't afford to sink any more money into that project.
American English
- The ship sank after hitting the iceberg.
- She sank into the couch after a long day.
- They sank the opposing team's chances with a last-minute touchdown.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A (Sink is not standardly used as an adjective. 'Sink estate' is a possible but specific UK socio-economic term.)
American English
- N/A (Sink is not standardly used as an adjective.)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I wash my hands in the sink.
- The toy boat sank in the bath.
- His heart sank when he saw the test results.
- Please don't leave the dirty dishes in the sink.
- The company's shares sank by 15% following the scandal.
- She felt herself sinking into a state of deep relaxation.
- The government has sunk considerable resources into revitalising the region's infrastructure.
- The narrative sinks into melodrama in its final act, undermining its earlier sophistication.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SINKing ship – both the action (verb) and the thing you wash plates in (noun) are linked to water going down.
Conceptual Metaphor
FAILURE IS SINKING (His hopes sank.), INVESTMENT IS SINKING RESOURCES (We sank a fortune into it.), DEPRESSION/EXHAUSTION IS SINKING (She sank into despair.)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse the noun 'sink' (раковина) with 'sink' as in 'kitchen sink' versus 'tap/faucet' (кран).
- The verb 'to sink' (тонуть, погружать) is distinct from 'to drown' (утопать). Things sink; people can drown.
- Avoid using 'sank'/'sunk' incorrectly. Use 'sank' for simple past (The boat sank yesterday) and 'sunk' for past participle (The boat has sunk).
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect past tense: 'The boat sunk' (informal/non-standard) vs. 'The boat sank' (standard).
- Confusing 'sink' (basin) with 'washbasin' (more formal/British) or 'lavatory' (which refers to the room, not the fixture).
Practice
Quiz
In the idiom 'sink or swim', what is being described?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Sink' refers to the physical action of going below the surface of a liquid. 'Drown' means to die from inhaling water because you are submerged. An object can sink; only a living being that breathes can drown.
Traditionally, 'sank' is the simple past tense ('Yesterday, the ship sank'), and 'sunk' is the past participle ('The ship has sunk'). In informal American English, 'sunk' is sometimes used for the simple past, but 'sank' is preferred in formal writing.
Yes, in specific contexts like sports ('sink a basket/putt') or as an idiom ('sink your teeth into a project'), it has a positive connotation of successful accomplishment.
It is an idiom meaning almost everything imaginable, often implying that too many things are being included, used, or thrown. E.g., 'She packed everything but the kitchen sink for a weekend trip.'