as in to hit
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
an overhead branch suddenly fell and bonked him on the head
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bonk
In a split second, Jaden decided to one-up Carolyn’s cruelty and bonked her in the head repeatedly with the fire poker.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 24 July 2024
That pickleball game on the driveway was pure pandemonium, and Joan almost got bonked in the face with a ball.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 20 Sep. 2024
Miss Manners cannot entirely guarantee, however, that your finger will not bonk your nose instead — particularly after the second or third old-fashioned.
—Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 2 Aug. 2024
What is the etiquette for enjoying the last sips of your drink without that giant ice cube sliding down and bonking you on the nose?
—Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 2 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bonk
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 24 July 2024
That pickleball game on the driveway was pure pandemonium, and Joan almost got bonked in the face with a ball.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 20 Sep. 2024
Miss Manners cannot entirely guarantee, however, that your finger will not bonk your nose instead — particularly after the second or third old-fashioned.
—Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 2 Aug. 2024
What is the etiquette for enjoying the last sips of your drink without that giant ice cube sliding down and bonking you on the nose?
—Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 2 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bonk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bonk
Verb
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The match began with Uso and Gunther going back and forth with each Superstar hitting their signature moves.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Apr. 2025
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New York’s forward did so by staying attached through the bazillion screens Detroit set and recovering when he was hit.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Pennsylvania’s drift to the right was the fourth largest of the seven, smack in the middle.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
4 Apr. 2025
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Still, the Yankees managed to make things interesting in the ninth inning, as Volpe smacked a three-run homer off Arizona lefty A.J. Puk to cut the deficit to one.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Miss: The Ring General World Heavyweight Champion Gunther was interrupted by Jey Uso, who came through the crowd to confront him in the ring; despite Gunther's attempts to speak, Jey slapped the microphone away and questioned Gunther about his family.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
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That proved a terrible bet for the Ukrainians, since the likelihood of Putin entering peace talks when tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers were occupying a piece of Mother Russia was about as low as the S&P 500 doubling in value after Trump slapped tariffs on everybody.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The American League East, almost always led in spending by the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, now has another club knocking at the vault door.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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And of course, let your nails properly cure under the UV light—try not to move around too much or knock things over.—
Martine Thompson,
Essence,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Once the van doors are shut, Miller, Nero, Porter, and multiple civilian witnesses hear Gray yell and bang against the van, shaking it.—
Steve Earley,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Apr. 2025
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The room began swaying and pictures banged against the walls.—
Muktita Suhartono,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Inside the courtroom, supporters of For Women Scotland cheered, punched the air, hugged and cried.—
Lauren Frayer,
NPR,
16 Apr. 2025
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But the rest of the skit was punching up and I/Chelsea was the only one punched down on … Not Sarah Squirm’s fault and not hating on her.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Right now, Trump and Congress could whack Medicaid and give Newsom a solid rationale for cutting way back on healthcare for undocumented Californians.—
George Skelton,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2025
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Alas, the thick-headed goon that Vito sends to whack Frank in the lobby of his lux Manhattan apartment building (a swollen and unrecognizable Cosmo Jarvis as the aptly named Vincent Gigante) fails to follow through with a double-tap, and Frank survives with a scratch to the head.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Why are the fans suddenly clapping that odd rhythm in unison?—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
15 Apr. 2025
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He was also seen as a member of the audience clapping along while Jack Black danced through the crowd during last week's monologue.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
13 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bonk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bonk. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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