hokey

adjective

hok·​ey ˈhō-kē How to pronounce hokey (audio)
hokier; hokiest
1
: corny entry 1 sense 1
the usual hokey melodrama
2
: obviously contrived : phony
the plots are tricky but not hokeyCleveland Amory
hokeyness noun
or hokiness
hokily adverb

Examples of hokey in a Sentence

She gave us some hokey excuse for being late. their father's sense of humor was hokey beyond belief and most people's endurance
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.
Surrounded by a bunch of big, hokey hooks from veterans and newcomers of the pop-country elite—Daris Rucker, Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett—and an army of songwriters, BigX goes through the ups and downs of a broken heart. Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 28 Aug. 2025 The actual reveal was hokey and preposterous. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025 Despite a few hokey reenactments, the series is compellingly illustrated. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025 Maybe Alcatraz—even the sanitized, slightly hokey Alcatraz of today—hadn’t fully lost its ability to strike fear into the hearts of men. Emma Sloley august 14, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hokey

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hokey was in 1927

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hokey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hokey. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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