hulking

adjective

hulk·​ing ˈhəl-kiŋ How to pronounce hulking (audio)
: ponderous, massive
a hulking wrestler

Examples of hulking in a Sentence

A hulking figure appeared in the doorway. a heavy, hulking stone blocked the way
Recent Examples on the Web Early in the Russian invasion, the landmark theater — a hulking, slab-like structure likened by some locals to an aircraft carrier — closed after two rockets landed on its roof, but did not explode. Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2024 On a hulking gray building on a wide boulevard once bisected by the Berlin Wall, a silver call button grants access to an expansive, shadowy, unfurnished foyer. Katie Bain, Billboard, 25 Apr. 2024 Weighing up to 400 pounds and measuring more than eight feet long, these hulking creatures—the largest salmon that ever lived—had a pair of long, curved teeth protruding from the top jaw. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Apr. 2024 Behind a row of hulking old trees, on a grassy slope with a distant view of Penobscot Bay, sits an 1887 Queen Anne confection in stone and black, a nameplate in the corner reading NORUMBEGA in gilt letters. Lila Harron Battis, Travel + Leisure, 22 Apr. 2024 One worker sorts through the hulking pile all day, wearing heavy duty gloves in case something sharp is caught in the sheets. Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 21 Apr. 2024 Everyone may like watching movies on a big screen, but a hulking panel is nothing but an eyesore when turned off. Brandon Widder, The Verge, 17 Apr. 2024 This is mainly because the hulking monstrosity is more a tank than a car. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2024 For the past half hour, the crew navigated the hulking vessel through relatively calm waters and lined it up to pass perfectly under the main truss of the steel bridge, softly lit in the early morning darkness. USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hulking.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hulking was in 1698

Dictionary Entries Near hulking

Cite this Entry

“Hulking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hulking. Accessed 1 May. 2024.

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