junkie

noun

junk·​ie ˈjəŋ-kē How to pronounce junkie (audio)
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

Examples of junkie in a Sentence

heroin junkies wasting their lives
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.
Start flocking to Meridian, chicken finger junkies. Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 14 Oct. 2025 The Browns are adrenaline junkies who thrive on car crashes. Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025 First, the story is not as overreported as, say, the exploits of Gacy or the Son of Sam, and a lot of true-crime junkies may not even know the details. Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025 The decision the Hornets made to photograph Knueppel, Ball and the high-scoring Brandon Miller together Monday was latched onto by a number of Hornets junkies as evidence that Charlotte has a big role in mind for him. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for junkie

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of junkie was in 1902

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Junkie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/junkie. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

junkie

noun
junk·​ie
variants also junky
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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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