bunker
To take shelter or hide in a protected place, often to avoid a dangerous or unpleasant situation. In a specialized or academic sense, it can also mean to store fuel in a ship or to entrench oneself in a specific position or mindset.
Examples
3 of 5The family decided to bunker in the basement until the hurricane passed.
The family chose to hide in the basement until the storm was over.
The administration was forced to bunker during the protests to ensure safety.
The officials had to take shelter during the demonstrations for their protection.
We should just bunker down at my house and order pizza tonight.
Let's stay inside at my place and get some food delivered.
Word Family
Memory Tip
Think of a 'bunk' bed in a 'bunker'. You go into a bunker to stay safe and 'bunk' there until the danger is gone.
Quick Quiz
As the blizzard intensified, the hikers were forced to _______ down in a small cave for the night.
Correct!
The correct answer is: bunker
Examples
The family decided to bunker in the basement until the hurricane passed.
everydayThe family chose to hide in the basement until the storm was over.
The administration was forced to bunker during the protests to ensure safety.
formalThe officials had to take shelter during the demonstrations for their protection.
We should just bunker down at my house and order pizza tonight.
informalLet's stay inside at my place and get some food delivered.
During the economic crisis, investors tended to bunker, avoiding any risky assets.
academicDuring the financial downturn, investors stayed in safe positions and avoided risks.
The corporation bunkered against the hostile takeover by consolidating its internal resources.
businessThe company protected itself from the takeover by focusing on its own assets.
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
bunker down
to prepare for a difficult situation by staying in a safe place
bunker mentality
an attitude of extreme defensiveness or resistance to outside influence
hit a bunker
in golf, to hit the ball into a sand trap (related to the noun)
Often Confused With
Bonkers is an informal adjective meaning crazy or mad, whereas bunker is a verb meaning to take shelter.
A banker is someone who works in a bank, while bunker refers to sheltering or a defensive structure.
Usage Notes
The verb is most frequently used as the phrasal verb 'bunker down'. In academic and political contexts, it often describes a psychological or strategic withdrawal rather than a physical one.
Common Mistakes
Learners often use 'bunker' as a simple verb for 'hide' without the preposition 'down', which is more natural in idiomatic English. Avoid confusing the verb form with the golf noun unless in a sports context.
Memory Tip
Think of a 'bunk' bed in a 'bunker'. You go into a bunker to stay safe and 'bunk' there until the danger is gone.
Word Origin
Originates from the Scots word 'bonker', meaning a large chest or box, later evolving to describe coal compartments on ships and defensive underground shelters.
Grammar Patterns
Cultural Context
The word is heavily associated with World War II history and modern survivalist ('prepper') culture, often implying a sense of extreme protection against external threats.
Quick Quiz
As the blizzard intensified, the hikers were forced to _______ down in a small cave for the night.
Correct!
The correct answer is: bunker
Related Vocabulary
Related Words
to
A1Used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward. It can also mark the recipient of an action or the limit of a range.
and
A1A primary conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that are grammatically equal. It indicates addition, a sequence of events, or a relationship between two things.
a
A1A word used before a singular noun that is not specific or is being mentioned for the first time. It is used only before words that begin with a consonant sound to indicate one of something.
that
A1This word is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate a specific person, object, or idea that is further away in space or time from the speaker. It is also used to refer back to something that has already been mentioned or to introduce a clause that identifies something.
I
A1The pronoun 'I' is used by a speaker or writer to refer to themselves as the subject of a verb. It is the first-person singular subject pronoun in English and is always capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence.
for
A1Used to show who is intended to have or use something, or to explain the purpose or reason for an action. It is also frequently used to indicate a specific duration of time.
not
A1A function word used to express negation or denial. It is primarily used to make a sentence or phrase negative, often following an auxiliary verb or the verb 'to be'.
with
A1A preposition used to indicate that people or things are together, in the same place, or performing an action together. It can also describe the instrument used to perform an action or a characteristic that someone or something has.
he
A1A pronoun used to refer to a male person or animal that has already been mentioned or is easily identified. It functions as the subject of a sentence.
you
A1Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.
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