funkier; funkiest
1
US
: having an offensive odor : foul
a funky smell
2
music
: having the style and feeling of older African American music (such as blues or gospel) or of funk
especially
: characterized by rhythmic elements similar to those of funk
a funky beat
3
informal
a
: odd or quaint in appearance or feeling
a funky little restaurant
b
: unconventionally stylish : hip
funky clothes
… lighting gives the … shops and streets a funky prettiness …—
Pauline Kael
Pauline Kael
funkily
adverb
funkiness
noun
: being in a funk : panicky
Examples of funky in a Sentence
Adjective (2)
a funky antique shop that reflects the owner's decidedly eccentric taste
a funky pair of old socks lying on the locker room floor
Recent Examples on the Web
Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
Turmeric adds earthiness to the delicate broth while getting a flavorful assist from a splash of funky fish sauce.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Jan. 2026
Fight funky-smelling shoes Dirty laundry isn't the only stinky problem a dryer sheet can mitigate.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026
Passage was reserved for but one off-beat backup dancer, the least funky fish of all time.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for funky
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Adjective
Shi’s bottle list encompasses an idiosyncratic mix of classics and oddballs, including stroppy Austrian natural whites alongside multi-thousand-dollar Burgundies, funky low-intervention oranges from Greece, a few bottles from the Japanese winery Coco Farm.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
Turmeric adds earthiness to the delicate broth while getting a flavorful assist from a splash of funky fish sauce.
—Holly Riordan, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Jan. 2026
Fight funky-smelling shoes Dirty laundry isn't the only stinky problem a dryer sheet can mitigate.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026
Passage was reserved for but one off-beat backup dancer, the least funky fish of all time.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for funky
Cite this Entry
“Funky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/funky. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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