WordGarden.iobunk
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /bˈʌŋk/
US
- /ˈbəŋk/
Meanings
Noun
a narrow bed or berth, often one of a stacked pair
nonsense or false talk
Verb
to sleep or stay somewhere, especially temporarily or in shared quarters
to skip school or work without permission
Beyond the definition
Calling something "bunk" is a classic way to say it's total nonsense. It's a bit more colorful than simply saying something is "untrue"—it suggests the claim is hollow, inflated, or nonsense you can’t trust. For example, if someone insists they can fly by flapping their arms, you might say, "That's a bunch of bunk!"
But "bunk" is also a physical thing. It can mean a built-in sleeping bed, like the ones on ships, trains, or in crowded hostels and camp cabins. From this sense comes the verb phrase "bunk down," meaning to settle in for sleep. Context is your guide here: are you dismissing a tall tale, or are you looking for a place to rest your head?
The word "bunk" is a fascinating homonym with two main histories. Most commonly, "bunk" refers to nonsense or deceptive talk. Its best-known slang history is an American one: in 1820, a congressman from Buncombe County, North Carolina, gave a long, irrelevant speech. Colleagues soon mocked such empty rhetoric as "Buncombe"—later clipped to "bunkum," and then shortened to "bunk." Calling something "a load of bunk" still means calling it empty hot air.
On the other hand, the sleeping sense is older and practical. A "bunk" is a built-in bed, especially in ships, trains, barracks, and dormitories. The idea likely comes from older northern European words for a bench-like sleeping frame. In crowded places these beds were often stacked, which is why modern bunk beds use the same efficient layout.
There is also a common informal British usage: "to bunk off." This means to skip school, class, or work without permission. So the word is surprisingly versatile: whether you are exposing nonsense, "bunking down" for the night, or "bunking off" from obligations, the context tells you which meaning is active.
Examples
- 1
Camp sleeping
At camp, Mia always chooses the top bunk.
- 2
Ship sleeping
The sailors slept in narrow bunks below deck.
- 3
Shared room
You'll have to bunk with your sister for a few nights while the guests are here.
- Patternbunk with + person
share a room or bed with them
- 4
Nonsense
His story about winning the lottery twice sounded like pure bunk.
- Phrasepure bunk
complete nonsense
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Skipping school
A few students bunked off school and went to the shopping mall instead.
- Phrasebunk off
stay away from school or work without permission
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- bunknounverb
Forms
- bunkspluralnounverb
- bunking-ing formverbnoun
- bunkedpast tenseverbnoun