chunk

chunk — noun

1. a thick, roughly cut piece of a hard material such as wood, stone, cheese, or ic

1.nounB1
Definition

a thick, roughly cut piece of a hard material such as wood, stone, cheese, or ice.

Example

Theo broke a chunk of bread off the loaf and dipped it into warm soup.

chunk of [food] — bread and soup pairing

A chunk of ice broke from the roof and crashed onto the garden path.

chunk of [ice] — natural phenomenon

Common collocations
  • a chunk of wood/stone/cheese/ice/meat/bread
  • chunks of rock/coal/concrete
  • break/cut/tear into chunks
  • a thick chunk
Synonyms
  • lump

    more irregular and less cleanly cut — a lump of clay

  • hunk

    a large, roughly cut piece, often of food — a hunk of bread

  • slab

    a flat, broad piece — a slab of concrete

  • nugget

    a small, naturally formed lump — a gold nugget

Grammar Patterns

a chunk of [solid material]

Usage Note

Countable noun. Often used with 'of' followed by a solid material. Chunk implies the piece is both thick and irregular in shape, unlike 'slice' (flat) or 'cube' (regular).

Common Mistakes

I need a chunk of paper for the printer.
I need a piece of paper for the printer.
'Chunk' is for thick, solid materials; paper is thin, so use 'piece' or 'sheet.'

2. a large part or amount of something that is not a physical object — for example,

2.nounB1
Definition

a large part or amount of something that is not a physical object — for example, a big portion of a budget, a long period of time, or a major section of a task.

Example

Aiko spent a huge chunk of her savings on fixing the old family car.

chunk of [money] — savings spending

The new project will take up a big chunk of our team's time this autumn.

chunk of [time] — project planning

Common collocations
  • a big/large/huge/significant chunk
  • a chunk of time/money/the budget/your salary
  • take up/use up/account for a chunk of
Synonyms
  • portion

    more neutral in register — a portion of the profits

  • segment

    suggests a deliberate division — a market segment

  • share

    focuses on what one person or group receives — my share of the work

Grammar Patterns

a chunk of [abstract noun]

a big/large/huge chunk of

Usage Note

Informal. In formal writing, 'portion,' 'segment,' or 'substantial part' may be preferred. The noun modified is typically uncountable or abstract (time, money, work, land, budget).

Common Mistakes

The report allocates a chunk of the budget to education.' (too informal for an official document)
The report allocates a substantial portion of the budget to education.
Use 'portion' or 'segment' in formal contexts.
Idioms

blow chunks

idiom

To vomit or throw up the contents of one's stomach.

After the roller coaster ride, Maya had to blow chunks in the bathroom.

Did you hear Diego blow chunks last night after eating that bad sushi?

chunk — verb

Word family

  • chunky
    adjectiveB1
  • chunkiness
    nounC1
  • chunked
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All these words refer to a part of something, but they differ in shape, size, and typical material. 'Piece' is the most general — any part of a whole, regardless of shape or size (a piece of cake, a piece of paper). 'Lump' suggests a roughly shaped, often soft or irregular mass (a lump of clay, a lump of coal). 'Hunk' is a large, thick piece cut or broken off something, often food (a hunk of bread, a hunk of meat). 'Slab' is wide, flat, and broad — like a rectangle (a slab of concrete, a slab of chocolate). 'Nugget' is small, naturally formed, and often valuable (a gold nugget, a chicken nugget). 'Chunk' sits between 'hunk' and 'lump': it is thick and irregular but implies the piece came from something larger by cutting or breaking. You would say 'a chunk of cheese' for a thick wedge, but 'a slab of cheese' for a flat, rectangular slice. For a random handful of soft material, 'lump' fits better than 'chunk.'

piece ↗lump ↗hunkslab ↗nugget ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • chunk by chunk
  • a chunk at a time

Prepositions

  • in chunks
  • into chunks
  • by chunks

Etymology

Old FrenchEnglish

First recorded in English in the early 1600s, probably a variant of 'chuck' (a cut of beef from the shoulder, originally meaning a block of wood). 'Chuck' itself came from Old French 'chouque' or 'choque' meaning a log or block. By the 1800s, 'chunk' had expanded from physical lumps to abstract portions of time, money, or work.