Cool MateGo down vs Sink
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Go down
Top 1,000 (very common)
Sink
Top 1,000 (very common)B1verb
| Go down | Sink | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɡəʊ daʊn//🇺🇸 //ɡoʊ daʊn// | 🇬🇧 /["/sɪŋk/","/sɪŋks/","/sæŋk/","/sʌŋk/","/ˈsɪŋkɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/sɪŋk/","/sɪŋks/","/sæŋk/","/sʌŋk/","/ˈsɪŋkɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To move to a lower place or position. | A place where you wash dishes and hands. |
| Example | Please go down the stairs to the basement. | The ship began to sink after hitting the iceberg. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | B1 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | go down the stairs, go down in price, go down with a cold, go down smoothly, go down in history | slowly, fast, down, begin to, start to, below, beneath, into, sink like a stone, sink or swim, sink to the bottom (of something), wearily, gratefully, gracefully, into, onto, sink below the horizon, sink to the floor, sink to the ground, wearily, gratefully, gracefully, into, onto, sink below the horizon, sink to the floor, sink to the ground, quickly, rapidly, gradually, into, sink to a new low, sink to new lows |
| Antonyms | - | float, rise |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'go up' - remember 'down' means lower., Using inappropriately for non-physical contexts., Omitting necessary prepositions in phrases. | Confused with 'sank' - the past tense of sink., Using 'sink' as a noun when describing the action of sinking., Mispronouncing it as 'sinc'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'go down' when describing movement to a lower level. It can also refer to prices, emotions, or information. Avoid in very formal contexts. | Used in everyday contexts for kitchens and bathrooms. Not used in formal writing. Avoid confusion with 'sank' which is its past tense. |
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Frequently asked questions: Go down vs Sink
What's the difference between Go down and Sink?
Go down: To move to a lower place or position. Sink: A place where you wash dishes and hands.
Can you show an example of each?
Go down: Please go down the stairs to the basement. Sink: The ship began to sink after hitting the iceberg.
Can I use Go down and Sink interchangeably?
Not always. Go down and Sink are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.