gunk

noun

ˈgəŋk How to pronounce gunk (audio)
Definition of gunknext
as in dirt
foul matter that mars the purity or cleanliness of something I have to wash my hands; I got gunk all over them somehow

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gunk The best shampoos cleanse your scalp and hair from roots to ends, freeing it from buildup and gunk without stripping the scalp of natural and vital oils. — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 16 Aug. 2026 At some point, all that will be left is the gunk at the bottom of the storage containers, and physics will prevent the oil from flowing through those critical pipelines. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026 The gunk Bondurant observed was likely didymo disturbed off the bottom of the river by people swimming and walking around. — Hannah Smith july 25, Idaho Statesman, 25 July 2026 Vacuum the spot to remove any excess gunk to make any further treatment more effective and prevent as much muck from actually leaving a stain in the first place. — Bridget Reed Morawski, Architectural Digest, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gunk
  1. dirt
  2. muck
  3. soil
  4. sludge
  5. sewage
  6. crud
  7. garbage
Noun
  • Sulfates are cleansing agents that attract oil, product buildup, and dirt.
    — Audrey Noble, Vogue, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Exit the parking lot in the southeast corner and head to the Lower Beacon Trail, a wide flat dirt path parallel to the road.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of dirt
Noun
  • The film could have only benefited from narrowing its scope away from all the government muck, an attempt to flesh out a mythology for its villains that are scarier simply as faceless, mysterious weapons of mass destruction.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The deep muck provides a cap for the shallow aquifer, helping to clean and filter freshwater that supplies drinking water for Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe and parts of Palm Beach County.
    — Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of muck
Noun
  • After about a month of consistently moist soil in a warm place with bright, indirect light, your chrysanthemum cutting should be rooted.
    — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Stronger downdraft winds and loose, dry soil can impact how much dust is lifted into the air.
    — Brandi D. Addison, AZCentral.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of soil
Noun
  • Residents sat in homes with walls washed away by the floods, shoveling sludge-like mud and rubble off balconies or window frames.
    — Victoria Milko, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Venezuelan oil, by contrast, is heavy, sour sludge, which can more easily be distilled into asphalt, industrial oils, diesel and jet fuel.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of sludge
Noun
  • Wastewater tracking is the testing of community sewage for viruses and other germs to help health officials monitor disease spread and trends, often before cases show up in clinical testing data.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The city later vowed to make emergency repairs to restore power and clean up buildings flooded with sewage.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of sewage
Noun
  • There used to be more opportunities, in other words, to separate the wheat from the crud.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 12 June 2026
  • This isn't just unsanitary—the buildup of crud could eventually interfere with your mixer's moving parts.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
Definition of crud
Noun
  • The government still has not come up with a solution to the mountainous piles of rotting garbage that accumulate on the streets for months.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026
  • One of the nurses tried to cover up the error by fishing the empty bottle of the muscle relaxant out of the garbage and taking it home.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of garbage

Browse Nearby Words

gung ho
gunk
gunky
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gunk. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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