Slunk is the past tense of slink, which means to move in a quiet, sneaky way, usually because you feel guilty, ashamed, or want to avoid being noticed. When a dog gets scolded for chewing up a shoe, it might slink away with its tail between its legs. When you've done something wrong and don't want attention, you might slink out of the room, hoping no one will stop you.

The word captures a particular kind of movement: low, quiet, and almost creeping, like you wish you could disappear. A student who forgot their homework might have slunk into class late, hoping the teacher wouldn't notice. A fox that's been caught raiding a henhouse would slink back into the forest.

Notice how slunk suggests both the physical movement (quiet and low) and the feeling behind it (embarrassment or guilt). When someone has slunk away from something, you can picture exactly how they moved and why.