funky
1 Americanadjective
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funkier,
comparative
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funkiest
superlative
adjective
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funkier,
comparative
-
funkiest
superlative
-
Jazz. having an earthy, blues-based quality or character.
-
having an offensive smell; evil-smelling; foul.
adjective
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(of music) passionate, soulful; of or pertaining to funk
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authentic; earthy
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stylish and exciting; cool
funky jeans
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of funky1
First recorded in 1830–40; funk 1 + -y 1
Origin of funky2
Explanation
Something that's funky has a strong musical rhythm or beat, and a deep bluesy sound. You might practice some funky bass lines before auditioning for your school's jazz band. Funky tunes have some of the spirit of the 1960s-era music genre called funk, a branch of R&B that's influenced by soul and jazz music. Rhythm is so important in funky music that the drums and bass are emphasized, melody less so. Based on this cool music, funky also means "stylish" or "hip:" "Mom, those pants are totally funky." The word's original meaning, however, was "stinky," specifically when discussing the smell of aged cheese.
Vocabulary lists containing funky
A Good Kind of Trouble
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With the Fire on High
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Words for Cheese Writers
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Kulgod's co-founder Itamar Bitan, 28, who spent four years in an Israeli special-forces canine unit, said the dogs were trained using "positive reinforcement" to detect a "specific funky smell" for a reward.
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
Though Root did at least allow Tongue three slips and two leg slips for his hat-trick ball after tea, he stuck with three for the most part here and barely ventured into the funky.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
I met Helena Lunardelli, the co-owner of Caju, a colorful, quirky concept store selling funky international fashion and vintage Portuguese decor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
Located just over an hour away from his Malibu Colony retreat, the funky dwelling, which is set on 5.7 acres, has a total of five bedrooms and five bathrooms.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
He was always surrounded by funky, lively people, by cute girls with dyed hair and piercings, by aloof guys who perked up when Adam rock-talked with them.
From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman
While the exterior features a very traditional red brick façade, the interior follows a much funkier black-and-white theme that carries throughout the majority of the main living spaces.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 9, 2025
Cheese: Parmigiano-Reggiano is classic, but try Manchego or Pecorino for a funkier edge.
From Salon ● Apr. 25, 2025
It’s a return to their powers, now funkier than ever.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 17, 2024
When the songs were … funkier — and I use that designation extremely loosely — his performance felt more full.
From New York Times ● Aug. 23, 2022
He released his latest track Heatwave in February, which his label describes as a "piano house" with "funkier UK" influences.
From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2022
Try to find an ensemble, from the staunchest to the funkiest, that hasn’t gotten into the act.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2022
The years-in-the-making project, which would raze a sizable chunk of Seattle’s funkiest nightlife corridor, contributed to the closure of Tula’s Jazz Club and Shorty’s punk/metal pinball dive, though Shorty’s found new digs nearby.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 16, 2020
Cellphone’s Dead may have Beck’s funkiest bassline, but for brute force, Devil’s Haircut wins with its insistent three-note riff copied from I Can Only Give You Everything by the 60s Northern Irish rockers Them.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 2, 2020
In my roaming, I discovered North Arlington’s wildest house, North Arlington’s funkiest address numbers, and North Arlington’s coolest mailbox:
From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2020
Morality is mostly funk, and I think you’re the funkiest man I ever came across in my travels.
From Within the Tides by Joseph Conrad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
