wonky
1(of a person) shaky, groggy, or unsteady.
not exactly straight or balanced; off-kilter: a wonky chair with an uneven leg.
not working properly; faulty; unreliable: Something went wonky with my computer.
Origin of wonky
1- Also won·kish [wong-kish]. /ˈwɒŋ kɪʃ/.
Words Nearby wonky
Other definitions for wonky (2 of 2)
stupid; boring; unattractive.
relating to, appealing to, or characteristic of a wonk; concerned with minute details of a topic or issue: a wonky bureaucrat.
Origin of wonky
2- Also won·kish [wong-kish]. /ˈwɒŋ kɪʃ/.
Other words from wonky
- won·ki·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use wonky in a sentence
All-star voting is up 70 percent compared with 2020, according to people with knowledge of the situation, but that rush of fan voting hasn’t produced any wonky results.
Kevin Durant and LeBron James lead first round of NBA All-Star voting | Ben Golliver | February 4, 2021 | Washington PostYou don’t have to worry about pairing and wonky Bluetooth connections.
Best computer speakers: Make music, video chats, and more a whole lot clearer | Jeremy Helligar | January 12, 2021 | Popular-ScienceSchedules in the traditional sense are increasingly a thing of the past and are instead often dictated by algorithms, which can result in wonky hours, with employees sometimes given two hours of work one day and eight the next.
A call to revolutionize the workplace — by working less | Sheila McClear | December 18, 2020 | Washington PostThe cookies didn’t come out perfectly round, which made for a few wonky sandwiches, with caramel spilling out from the sides.
The Best Holiday Cookie Recipes, According to Eater Editors | Meghan McCarron | November 30, 2020 | EaterFor example, some of these might sound pretty good but the battery-life might be lacking or the fit might be super comfortable but other smart features like touch-control could be wonky.
Best wireless headphones: Five things to consider | Carsen Joenk | November 25, 2020 | Popular-Science
Much ink has been spilled over the wonky science and plot contrivances of Interstellar.
‘Interstellar’ Is Wildly Ambitious, Very Flawed, and Absolutely Worth Seeing | Marlow Stern | November 7, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTJustin Bieber This wonky first pitch offers further proof that Justin Bieber struggles with the definition of a straight line.
The store became famous for “wonky carrots”—the type often rejected by supermarkets on aesthetic grounds.
According to the latest news in aviation, the world of air travel has gone a little wonky.
Plane-Related Incidents Reach New Level of Weird | Rachel Hochhauser | April 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThis could all change if Maryland decides to veer left and elect Heather Mizeur, a wonky, pro-pot married lesbian, as governor.
Could a Pro-Pot Lesbian Become the Next Governor of Maryland? | Jim Newell | March 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe straightened his back more, making it pop and gave her his devilish grin, the one where his wonky eyebrow went up and down.
Makers | Cory Doctorow
British Dictionary definitions for wonky
/ (ˈwɒŋkɪ) /
shaky or unsteady
not in correct alignment; askew
liable to break down or develop a fault
Origin of wonky
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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