Meaning & use
sinkholes
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“sinkholes” is a form of “sinkhole”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounpluraltechnical
Holes in the ground, often sudden, that form when soil or rock above an empty space gives way or is washed away.
Grammar: Plural form of sinkhole: one sinkhole, several sinkholes.
Patterns
- sinkholes in something
- sinkholes open up
Sinkholes opened up along the road after days of heavy rain.
Parts of Florida are prone to sinkholes because of the limestone underground.
Engineers surveyed the area for sinkholes before approving the building plans.
nounpluralfigurative
Things, such as projects or accounts, that swallow money or effort and give little back.
Grammar: Figurative use; usually with a modifier like money or financial.
Patterns
- money sinkholes
Old software systems can become money sinkholes for small firms.
The two failing branches were financial sinkholes the company could not ignore.
Common combinations
- sinkholes open up
- Sinkholes can open up with almost no warning.
- swallowed by sinkholes
- Several cars were swallowed by sinkholes during the storm.
- prone to sinkholes
- The region is prone to sinkholes.
- collapse into sinkholes
- Old mine tunnels sometimes collapse into sinkholes.
- fill in sinkholes
- Crews worked to fill in sinkholes along the highway.
Synonyms and how they differ
- craters
- Craters are bowl-shaped holes made by impact or eruption, while sinkholes form when the ground collapses downward.
- potholes
- Potholes are small holes in a road surface, much smaller than sinkholes, which can swallow a vehicle.
- caves
- Caves are natural underground spaces, whereas sinkholes are the surface collapses that sometimes reveal them.
Word family
Commonly confused: sinkholes or potholes?
sinkholes vs potholes
Potholes are shallow damaged patches in a road. Sinkholes are deeper collapses in the ground itself.
Practice
Which sentence uses sinkholes correctly?
Choose one answer.
Sinkholes is plural, so it needs a plural verb and no a. The other options mix singular and plural.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sinkholes”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.