sinkhole
noun
sink·hole
ˈsiŋk-ˌhōl 
1
: a hollow place or depression in which drainage collects
2
: a hollow in a limestone region that communicates with a cavern or passage
3
4
: something (such as an unprofitable investment) that steadily drains money or resources
a financial sinkhole
Examples of sinkhole in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The neighbors don’t stop by anymore — not since my husband rigged our garage to look like a sinkhole had opened up in the ground, and Mrs. Hewitt’s cat disappeared into the hedge in panic.
—
Remy Blumenfeld, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Oct. 2024
Missouri Ha Ha Tonka State Park has a series of trails such as the rugged Colosseum Trail that winds through a sinkhole and beneath a natural bridge.
—Michele Herrmann, Forbes, 5 Oct. 2024
Crews drilled steel pillars deep into the ground, disturbing a fragile ecosystem of thousands of caverns and freshwater sinkholes known as cenotes.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2024
Trapped in sinkholes or lost within labyrinthine passages, these animals died, and their remains became fossilized and preserved by rising water levels.
—Martin Broen, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sinkhole 
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.
Remy Blumenfeld, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Oct. 2024
Missouri Ha Ha Tonka State Park has a series of trails such as the rugged Colosseum Trail that winds through a sinkhole and beneath a natural bridge.
—Michele Herrmann, Forbes, 5 Oct. 2024
Crews drilled steel pillars deep into the ground, disturbing a fragile ecosystem of thousands of caverns and freshwater sinkholes known as cenotes.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2024
Trapped in sinkholes or lost within labyrinthine passages, these animals died, and their remains became fossilized and preserved by rising water levels.
—Martin Broen, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sinkhole
Dictionary Entries Near sinkhole
Cite this Entry
“Sinkhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sinkhole. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sinkhole
noun
sink·hole
ˈsiŋk-ˌhōl
: a hollow place in which drainage collects
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share