wonky

1 of 2

adjective (1)

ˈwäŋ-kē How to pronounce wonky (audio)
ˈwȯŋ-
wonkier; wonkiest
US
: characteristic of, relating to, or suggestive of a wonk: such as
a
: preoccupied with arcane details or procedures in a specialized field
She can get wonky about the economy when she wants to, but what sets her apart is her ability to tell a coherent, populist story about it in a way that other members of her party are either unwilling or unable to do.Rebecca Traister
b
: used by or appealing to wonks
… one of those politicians who actually find pleasure in the often-wonky details of public policy.John Powers
wonkiness noun

wonky

2 of 2

adjective (2)

won·​ky ˈwäŋ-kē How to pronounce wonky (audio)
wonkier; wonkiest
1
British : unsteady, shaky
2
chiefly British : awry, wrong

Examples of wonky in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Fans commented on a popular digital video platform where Jeopardy! has its own page on the clue and its wonky wording. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 11 July 2025 Hold on, this one might seem a little wonky but the only real concept at play here is this: The ratio of exports to imports is every bit if not more important than the difference between the two. Ken Roberts, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025 Just as often, though, the team’s scoring production could go quiet for minutes at a time, and the defense—neither Brunson nor Towns is dependable on that end—could go correspondingly wonky. Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 2 June 2025 Racing movies have had a wonky time at the box office, and that’s why there are far and few in between. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for wonky

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (2)

probably alteration of English dialect wankle, from Middle English wankel, from Old English wancol; akin to Old High German wankōn to totter — more at wench

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

1978, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (2)

1918, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wonky was in 1918

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Cite this Entry

“Wonky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wonky. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

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