countersink

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noun

A conical recess, typically machined at the mouth of a hole to admit a screw (with a matching taper) so that the screw sits flush with a surface.

“to countersink a hole for a screw”

Similar
countersinkercounterborecountersink bitset
OriginEnglish sink ← Middle English counter- ← Anglo-Norman countre- →
UncommonScrabble 17
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Meanings

nouncountersink (plural countersinks)

plural countersinks

  1. A conical recess, typically machined at the mouth of a hole to admit a screw (with a matching taper) so that the screw sits flush with a surface.
  2. The cutter used to cut such a recess. (Also used, at less depth, for edge-breaking/deburring.)

    Holonym: center drill (combined drill and countersink)

    Synonyms: countersinker

verbcountersink (third-person singular simple present countersinks, present participle countersinking, simple past countersank or countersunk, past participle countersunk)

present singular third person countersinks · participle present countersinking · past countersank · past countersunk · participle past countersunk

  1. transitiveTo create such a conical recess.

    to countersink a hole for a screw

  2. ambitransitiveTo cause to sink even with or below the surface.

    to countersink a screw or bolt into woodwork

    1 more example

    I countersank into the locust just enough to make the nailhead flush.

    2010, Larry Pardey, Details of Classic Boat Construction, pages 7-30

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe cutter used to cut such a recess. (Also used, at less depth, for edge-breaking/deburring.)

Similar
countersinker

More synonyms by meaning

nouna bit for enlarging the upper part of a hole

Similar
counterborecountersink bit
Broader
bit

verbinsert (a nail or screw below the surface, as into a countersink)

Similar
set
Broader
burysink
Also see
counterboreset

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Proto-Italic*komteros
  6. Proto-Italic*komterād
  7. Latincontrā
  8. Old Frenchcontre-
  9. Anglo-Normancountre-
  10. Middle Englishcounter-
  11. Englishcounter-
  12. Englishsink
  13. Englishcountersink

From counter- + sink.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian фрезенк
  • фрезенк (frezenk)a conical recess machined around a hole
Finnish upotusreikä, upottaa
  • upotusreikäa conical recess machined around a hole
  • upottaato create a conical recess
French fraisure
  • fraisurea conical recess machined around a hole
German Ansenkung, Senkbohrung
  • Ansenkunga conical recess machined around a hole
  • Senkbohrunga conical recess machined around a hole
  • ansenkento create a conical recess
  • versenkento create a conical recess
Hungarian süllyesztés
  • süllyesztésa conical recess machined around a hole
Italian svasatura, accecatura
  • svasaturaa conical recess machined around a hole
  • accecaturaa conical recess machined around a hole
  • accecatoioa conical recess machined around a hole
  • alesaturaa conical recess machined around a hole
  • accecareto create a conical recess
  • svasareto create a conical recess
Māori korotiwha, korotiwha
  • korotiwhaa conical recess machined around a hole
  • korotiwhato create a conical recess
Portuguese rebaixar
  • rebaixarto create a conical recess
Spanish avellanado, avellanar
  • avellanadoa conical recess machined around a hole
  • avellanarto create a conical recess
Turkish havşa, havşa açmak
  • havşaa conical recess machined around a hole
  • havşa açmakto create a conical recess
Cite this entry
APA

countersink. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/countersink

MLA

“countersink.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/countersink. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “countersink,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/countersink.

Source: countersink on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.