stonker: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, slang
Quick answer
What does “stonker” mean?
Something extremely large, impressive, or outstanding.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Something extremely large, impressive, or outstanding; a massive or astonishing thing.
A person or thing that is exceptional or outstanding, often in a spectacular way. In its verb form, can mean to defeat or hit severely.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word is almost exclusively British. It is extremely rare in American English and likely not understood.
Connotations
British: informal, expressive, slightly dated slang. American: Unknown.
Frequency
Common in UK informal speech, especially among older generations. Very rare in US English.
Grammar
How to Use “stonker” in a Sentence
[subject] + verb + a stonker[determiner] + stonker + of + a + [noun]What a stonker!Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “stonker” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We absolutely stonked them 5-0.
- He stonked the ball over the boundary.
American English
- (Not used)
adverb
British English
- (Rare) He played stonker well.
- (Rare)
American English
- (Not used)
adjective
British English
- That was a stonker performance.
- He's got a stonker of a car.
American English
- (Not used)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; might be used informally to describe an exceptionally good deal or profit.
Academic
Not used.
Everyday
Used in informal conversation to describe something impressive, large, or outstanding (e.g., a meal, a goal, a sale).
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “stonker”
- Using it in formal writing.
- Using it in American contexts where it is unknown.
- Spelling as 'stonker' with an 'e'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's informal and expressive but not rude or offensive. It is positive slang.
No, it is far too informal and slangy for any business or professional correspondence.
It is believed to originate from British military slang, possibly related to the verb 'stonk' meaning to bombard heavily.
It is somewhat dated. It might be used for humorous or ironic effect, but it's more common among older generations.
Something extremely large, impressive, or outstanding.
Stonker is usually informal, slang in register.
Stonker: in British English it is pronounced /ˈstɒŋkə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈstɑːŋkər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a stonker of a hangover”
- “pull a stonker”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a STONE KERb that is so massive and impressive, it's a STONKER.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPACT IS SIZE / QUALITY IS SIZE
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is 'stonker' primarily used?