Definition

1. Noun:
   • A slow or gradual fall, descent, or decline: The act or process of moving downward, often through a liquid, or decreasing in level, value, or strength.
   • A feeling of uneasiness, apprehension, or dread: A specific emotional sensation often described as a physical feeling in the stomach or chest.
   • The event of a vessel going under the surface of water: The specific act or instance of a ship or boat submerging.

Usage and Examples

• Noun (Physical Descent/Decline):
  • The slow sinking of the sun below the horizon was beautiful.
  • Economists are concerned about the sinking of the currency's value.
• Noun (Emotional Feeling):
  • She felt a sudden sinking in her stomach when she heard the bad news.
  • With a sinking heart, he opened the envelope.
• Noun (Maritime Event):
  • The sinking of the Titanic is a famous historical disaster.
  • The investigation focused on the cause of the ship's sinking.

Advanced Usage

• "a sinking feeling": A strong idiom describing a sudden sensation of dread or disappointment.
  • I had a sinking feeling that I had forgotten my passport at home.
• "sinking fund": A financial term for a fund established to repay a debt or for depreciation.
  • The company set up a sinking fund to retire its bonds early.

Variants and Related Words

• Sink (verb): To descend or cause to descend below a surface; to decline.
  • The stone will sink in water.
  • His spirits began to sink.
• Sunk (adjective/verb past participle): Having descended; beyond help.
  • The sunk cost cannot be recovered.
• Sinkable (adjective): Capable of being sunk.
  • The model boat was sinkable.

Synonyms

• Descent: The act of moving downward.
• Decline: A gradual and continuous loss of strength, value, or quality.
• Subsidence: The gradual caving in or sinking of an area of land.
• Dread: A feeling of great fear or apprehension.

Related Phrasal Verbs (from the root verb 'sink')

• Sink in: To become fully understood or comprehended.
  • The news took a moment to sink in.
• Sink into: To gradually enter a state (often negative).
  • He sank into a deep depression.

Related Idioms

• Like a sinking ship: Referring to a failing enterprise that people are abandoning.
  • After the scandal, the company was like a sinking ship.
• Sinking spell: A period of decline or failing health.
  • The patient had a sinking spell overnight.

Noun

1. a feeling caused by uneasiness or apprehension
   • with a sinking heart
   • a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach
2. a slow fall or decline (as for lack of strength)
   • after several hours of sinking an unexpected rally rescued the market
   • he could not control the sinking of his legs
3. a descent as through liquid (especially through water)
   • they still talk about the sinking of the Titanic