hunker down meaning

UK US /ˈhʌŋkɚ daʊn/ 3 syllables

hunker down (verb): sit on one's heels.

hunker down has 3 meanings in this dictionary.

hunker down as a verb

  1. sit on one's heels
    • In some cultures, the women give birth while squatting
    • The children hunkered down to protect themselves from the sandstorm

    Synonyms: squat, crouch, scrunch, scrunch up, hunker

    Type of: sit

  2. take shelter
    • During the sandstorm, they hunkered down in a small hut

    Type of: hide

  3. hold stubbornly to a position
    • The wife hunkered down and the husband's resistance began to break down

    Type of: stand pat

hunker down in a sentence

How to pronounce hunker down

hunker down is pronounced /ˈhʌŋkɚ daʊn/ in American English. It has 3 syllables.

More about hunker down on Wikipedia.