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sinker

SING-kuhr /ˈsɪŋkər/

nounB2TOEFL

neutral

A weight, usually made of lead or other dense metal, attached to a fishing line to cause the bait or lure to sink deep into the water.

A sinker's primary job is to overcome the natural buoyancy of the line and bait, allowing the angler to reach fish that feed near the bottom of a lake or river.

The story behind the word. The word 'sinker' is a straightforward English construction, combining the ancient Germanic verb 'sink' (to go down) with the suffix '-er' (something that does an action). For centuries, anglers used simple stones tied to animal-hair lines, but by the industrial era, lead became the standard material due to its high density and ease of molding.

Word relationships

weight: 'Weight' is a general term for any heavy object, whereas 'sinker' is the specific term for a weight designed for fishing.
plummet: A 'plummet' is a historical or specialized term for a lead weight used to measure depth, rather than to keep a fishing line down.

bobber: A bobber floats on the surface, while a sinker pulls the line down.

Commonly confused with

anchor: An anchor holds a boat in place, while a sinker simply pulls a fishing line down to the bottom.

Word family

sink (verb): To go down below the surface of water.

Collocations

lead sinker
split-shot sinker
heavy sinker
sinker weight

Idioms & expressions

hook, line, and sinker

Example sentences

"He added a small split-shot sinker to the line to keep the bait from drifting too quickly in the river current." Adjusting the depth of the fishing setup.
"You could feel the heavy lead sinker strike the sandy bottom of the lake fifty feet out." Describing the physical sensation of casting a weighted line.

Memory hook

A SINKER is a heavy metal thinker that SINKS straight to the bottom. The sinker sinks the line.

When not to use

Do not confuse with 'clinker' (stony residue) or use in non-fishing contexts unless referring metaphorically to something that sinks or fails completely.

Fun facts

Due to environmental concerns about lead poisoning in waterfowl (which sometimes swallow small lead weights), many regions now require anglers to use non-toxic sinkers made of tungsten, steel, or bismuth.

Related words

bobber, tackle, cast

Explore more words

fixture, benthic, submerge, overfishing, buoyancy, overweight