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

Early January is more than just the start of the new year for the tech junkies out there. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 9 Jan. 2026

Endurance junkies have their pick of trails. —Jen Murphy, Outside, 7 Jan. 2026

While political junkies can feed their habits this year, the more profound issue that faces California will be its moribund economy. —Dan Walters, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026

This is no doubt partly the result of reader fatigue—there are only so many Trump books any one politics junkie can be expected to buy. —Paul Farhi, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 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