1
a
: a heavy thick board
especially
: one 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) thick and at least 8 inches (20 centimeters) wide
b
: an object made of a plank or planking
c
: planking
d
: an exercise in which a prone person balances on the toes and forearms while holding the rest of the body up and off the ground
Do two to three sets of these moves two days a week: push-ups (work up to 25) to build chest, shoulder and triceps strength; plank (support your body on your forearms and toes for up to 60 seconds) to build ab and back strength …—
Selene Yeager
Selene YeagerStart with basic moves like sit-ups, planks, and lunges …—Oprah Magazine
Oprah Magazine2
a
: an article in the platform of a political party
b
: a principal item of a policy or program
planked; planking; planks
1
: to cover, build, or floor with planks
2
: to set down forcefully
—usually used with down
3
: to cook and serve on a board
planked salmon
planked steak
Examples of plank in a Sentence
Noun
Before the convention, there was debate over the foreign policy and economic planks.
Verb
planked the carton down on the counter and left
Recent Examples on the Web
ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2025
Other services will at times allow biking or rowing as a cardio substitute for the run; planks are now more widely used than sit-ups.
—Lolita C. Baldor, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2025
Melanie Radzicki McManus, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
Your golf swing can also benefit from planking, concluded another study published in the June issue of The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
—Melanie Radzicki McManus, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for plank
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Noun
But there are titanium skid blocks that poke out a few millimeters from the plank's surface, and these are what make contact with the track surface when a car bottoms out (and before any wear to the plank), giving off a shower of titanium sparks.
—ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2025
Other services will at times allow biking or rowing as a cardio substitute for the run; planks are now more widely used than sit-ups.
—Lolita C. Baldor, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
The key takeaway is to give planking a try by starting slowly and easily.
—Melanie Radzicki McManus, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
Your golf swing can also benefit from planking, concluded another study published in the June issue of The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
—Melanie Radzicki McManus, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for plank
Cite this Entry
“Plank.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plank. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
plank
1 of 2 noun1
: a wide heavy thick board
2
: an item in the list of beliefs and goals of a political party
plank
2 of 2 verb1
: to cover or floor with planks
2
: to set down forcefully
planked the book on the table
3
: to cook and serve on a board
planked steak
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