gonzo

adjective

gon·​zo ˈgän-(ˌ)zō 

1

: of, relating to, or being a style of journalism marked by a lack of objectivity due to the writer's immersion in the subject and often participation in the activity being documented

gonzo journalism

a gonzo journalist

2

informal

a

: outlandishly unconventional, outrageous, or extreme

a gonzo comedian

b

: very strange or unusual : bizarre

gonzo notions

Examples of gonzo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Perhaps owing to these gonzo genetics, apples are remarkably susceptible to disease and rot. —Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 8 June 2020

Its late #MeToo turn seems a bit tacked on, but its provocations feel right for a 2019 book about adults, students, and power; a bit of righteous rage coursing through a story in which its author wields gonzo confidence. —David Canfield, EW.com, 18 Dec. 2019

Expect gonzo adventure and cutting-edge mathematical ideas, plus a literal million-mile road trip. —Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2019

In the gonzo math of climate change, two flights plus a water crossing produce fewer moral emissions than one flight. —Kyle Smith, National Review, 26 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing gonzo

• gonzo journalism