bonk C2+ Topic:Verbs of Movement US /bɑŋk/ UK /bɒŋk/ See IPA manual Minimal pairs Sounds like bank /æ/ vs /ɑ/ Sounds like bunk /ʌ/ vs /ɑ/ Meanings 1 verb (informal) to hit, or to suddenly run out of energy in endurance sport She bonked at mile twenty and had to walk the rest. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · (informal) to hit, or to... hitbashwhackknockthumpclout Word family Derived forms bonkingbonked Etymology AI details Imitative in origin (20th century), echoing the dull sound of a knock or blow; the endurance-sport sense ('to suddenly run out of energy') is a later extension. bonk onomatopoeic View etymology graph -> Topics Verbs of Movement Register & Style External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # bonk **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** verb **IPA (US):** /bɑŋk/ **IPA (UK):** /bɒŋk/ ## Meanings 1. (informal) to hit, or to suddenly run out of energy in endurance sport ## Examples - She bonked at mile twenty and had to walk the rest. ## Synonyms - hit - bash - whack - knock - thump - clout ## Derived Forms - bonking - bonked ## Roots and Affixes - Root: bonk ## Etymology Imitative in origin (20th century), echoing the dull sound of a knock or blow; the endurance-sport sense ('to suddenly run out of energy') is a later extension. ## AI Etymology Bonk is a verb and noun meaning "(informal) to hit, or to suddenly run out of energy in endurance sport". Historically, it is imitative in origin (20th century), echoing the dull sound of a knock or blow; the endurance-sport sense ('to suddenly run out of energy') is a later extension. Its shape is tied to sound symbolism rather than to an ordinary inherited stem alone. The semantic history matters here: the earlier use is the starting point, and the modern sense, "(informal) to hit, or to suddenly run out of energy in endurance sport", is the later or specialized English value. The historical chain is anchored in onomatopoeic bonk. Close English family members include bonking, and bonked. ## Topics - Verbs of Movement - Register & Style markdown