junkie

noun

junk·​ie ˈjəŋ-kē 

variants or less commonly junky

plural junkies

1

a

disparaging + offensive : a person who is addicted to narcotics and especially to heroin

b

: a person who gets an unusual amount of pleasure from or has an unusual amount of interest in something

a television news junkie

Adrenaline junkies weren't the only ones who marveled as Austrian daredevil Baumgartner broke the world record for the highest and fastest skydive …

—Maura Judkis

2

: a junk dealer

Synonyms of junkie

• addict
• user

Examples of junkie in a Sentence

heroin junkies wasting their lives

Recent Examples on the Web

What has changed in recent years, however, is that prediction markets are no longer an obscure pastime enjoyed by political junkies. — Matt Motta, Fortune, 23 June 2026

America's top amusement parks are introducing a lineup of new record-setting, heart-pumping roller coasters sure to satisfy even the biggest adrenaline junkies. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 19 June 2026

And while these details surely signal the profile of a nerd (complimentary), Kimes is also something of a competition junkie, making frequent appearances in celebrity editions of game shows like The Great American Baking Show. — Nic Juarez, Vulture, 17 June 2026

Hearing Usha praise Vance’s ability to make nice may come as a surprise to political junkies who have watched Vance struggle to control his anger in public—something the vice president himself has written candidly about in the past. — Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 17 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for junkie

• chunky
• funky
• hunky
• monkey
• spunky

Kids Definition

junkie

noun

junk·​ie

variants also junky

ˈjəŋ-kē 

plural junkies

1

: a person who sells or is addicted to narcotics

2

: a person who gets an unusual amount of pleasure from or is dependent on something

a sugar junkie