dank
dank — adjective
- dankpositive
- dankercomparative
- dankestsuperlative
1. describes a place or the air inside it that feels unpleasantly cold, wet, and un
describes a place or the air inside it that feels unpleasantly cold, wet, and uncomfortable — like an old cellar that nobody has opened for a long time.
The stone walls of the castle dungeon felt dank and cold to the touch.
collocation: dank + walls / dungeon / basement
After weeks of rain, the stale air inside the abandoned cottage turned dank.
Mei opened the cellar door and a dank smell rose from the darkness below.
Deep inside the cave, the dank air made the rescue volunteers cough.
- damp
slightly wet but not as cold or unpleasant; more neutral in tone
- clammy
unpleasantly wet and sticky, typically describing skin or surfaces rather than spaces
- humid
refers to moisture in warm air, especially in tropical or summer weather
- moist
slightly wet but not necessarily cold or unpleasant; can even be positive
用法筆記
Typically describes enclosed, poorly ventilated spaces such as basements, cellars, caves, dungeons, and old buildings. Not used for open-air weather or natural outdoor conditions.
常見錯誤
2. a slang term used to say that something is excellent, cool, or of very high qual
a slang term used to say that something is excellent, cool, or of very high quality — used especially by younger speakers in casual conversation and on the internet.
Jack thought the underground concert was absolutely dank — the best show he had seen all year.
slang: absolutely dank for 'excellent'
Mei shared a dank meme that made the entire office laugh during lunch.
That new strategy game is so dank that everyone in the dorm keeps playing it every night.
Kwame put together a dank playlist of indie tracks for the road trip.
用法筆記
Strongly informal slang originating in US internet culture (especially meme culture around 2010). Carries a tone of enthusiastic approval. Predominantly used by younger speakers. Sense 2 is more common than sense 3 for describing objects, media, and experiences rather than people.
常見錯誤
3. a slang term used to describe a person who is extremely attractive or good-looki
a slang term used to describe a person who is extremely attractive or good-looking, used in informal, mainly spoken contexts.
Sofia looked absolutely dank in her tailored dress at the awards ceremony.
slang: looked + dank for 'appeared attractive'
The new barista at the coffee shop was so dank that customers joked about going back every day.
Anika said the lead singer of the band looked totally dank on stage.
Minh posted a selfie and his friends all commented that he looked dank.
- ugly
direct opposite, much more common than any slang antonym
- unattractive
more formal, direct opposite
用法筆記
Less common than sense 2. Exclusively describes a person's physical appearance, not their character, abilities, or the quality of objects. Mainly used by younger speakers in casual spoken English or on social media.