sink

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'sink' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it as a verb, noun, adverb, or adjective. Example Sentence: The dishes in the sink need to be washed.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Lifestyle

Sport

Tech

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And that could sink the anti-EU cause.

The Guardian - Opinion

A few thousand fans were gathered around to watch him sink a two-foot putt for a final par.

The Guardian - Sport

Here, the Bond glitz was displaced by Saltzman's other favoured ethos, kitchen sink realism, and some kind of 60s circle was made complete.

The Guardian - Film

The minister who condemned historic indulgence of sink schools was in effect proposing to deny struggling pupils the chance to earn any respected qualifications at all.

The Guardian

Tobin, who set up the organisation in 1999 in a toilet – removing the sink to make way for a desk – said the donations will help them to treat the 300 people they see annually.

The Guardian

Let that sink in for one second While the plot moves at breakneck speed through betrayal, blackmail, murder attempts and sex tapes, the script of The Royals is packed full of lines made for social media.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

On a clear, moonlight night 150 years ago, the hand-cranked Confederate submarine HL Hunley glided out over glassy seas off South Carolina, sailing into history as the first submarine ever to sink an enemy warship.

The Guardian

"Actually," he confides, "we've got a sink that makes a rather good sound when the teabag hits it".

The Guardian

Tried reinventing herself with kitchen sink comedy The Family Way (1969).

The Guardian - Film

Instead of jumping from issue to issue or rising up only to sink back down, they are building solidarity.

The Guardian - Opinion

"They hit him hard, they came up on us in their boat and tried to sink it".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Utilize the phrasal verb 'sink in' when describing information that is gradually being understood or accepted by an audience.

Common error

Avoid using 'sunk' as the simple past tense. While you might hear 'The boat sunk' in informal speech, formal writing requires 'The boat sank'. 'Sunk' is an adjective or a past participle used after 'have' or 'be'.

Linguistic Context

The word "sink" operates as both a highly versatile verb and a concrete noun. As a verb, it describes physical displacement in liquid or a metaphorical decline in value, health or mood. As a noun, it primarily identifies a domestic plumbing fixture or a system that absorbs energy, such as a 'heat sink'. Ludwig AI confirms its dual-use status through numerous examples ranging from sports ('sink a putt') to economics ('sink the currency').

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Lifestyle

15%

Sport

10%

Less common in

Tech

5%

Politics

3%

Academic

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "sink" is an essential part of English vocabulary, demonstrating remarkable flexibility across various domains. Whether you are describing a ship's disaster at sea, a professional golfer's final putt, or the plumbing in a kitchen, "sink" provides a concise and clear descriptor. Ludwig AI highlights its prevalence in high-quality journalism, particularly for economic metaphors like 'sinking' a currency or a project. Writers should pay close attention to the distinction between 'sank' and 'sunk' to maintain grammatical precision. Overall, its diverse applications from physical fixtures to complex idioms make it a vital term for clear and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

submerge

Emphasizes being completely covered by liquid rather than just descending.

washbasin

A specific British English term for the fixture used for personal hygiene.

basin

More formal noun often used in technical or architectural descriptions of a bathroom fixture.

plunge

Implies a more forceful or sudden downward movement.

subside

Refers to levels of water or land lowering rather than an object falling into liquid.

immerse

Focuses on the act of putting something into liquid rather than the passive act of falling.

decline

A metaphorical synonym for the diminishing of abstract concepts like status or currency.

founder

Specifically used when a ship fills with water and goes down.

descend

A broader term for any downward movement.

scuttle

Deliberately causing a ship to go down.

FAQs

How do I use "sink" in a sentence?

You can use it as a verb meaning to descend, as in 'The stone will "sink" in the river', or as a noun for a fixture, like 'Put the dishes in the kitchen "sink"'.

What is the difference between "sink" and submerge?

While both involve going underwater, to "submerge" usually implies being completely covered or deliberately placed under, whereas "sink" often refers to a passive descent to the bottom.

Which is correct: "he sank" or "he has sunk"?

Both are correct in different tenses. Use 'sank' for the past simple and '"sunk"' as the past participle, as in 'he has "sunk" to a new low'.

What can I say instead of "sink" for a bathroom fixture?

In more formal or regional contexts, you can use terms like "washbasin", "basin", or "lavatory".