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Synonyms

honker

1 American  
[hong-ker, hawng-] / ˈhɒŋ kər, ˈhɔŋ- /

noun

  1. a person or thing that honks.

    Some motorists are calm and polite, but others are impatient honkers.

  2. Informal. a goose.

    This pond will be a real hot spot when migratory honkers arrive with colder weather.

  3. Slang. a big nose.

    He was really quite attractive, if you looked past that honker.
honker 2 American  
[hong-ker, hawng-] / ˈhɒŋ kər, ˈhɔŋ- /

noun

Slang: Disparaging and Offensive.

  1. honky.

honker British  
/ ˈhɒŋkə /

noun

  1. a person or thing that honks

  2. an informal name for the Canada goose

  3. slang a nose, esp a large nose

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of honker1

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; honk + -er 1

Origin of honker2

Perhaps honk(y) + -er 1

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.

Before Smith's all-time honker of a dismissal on the second day, England were 323-5 in their first innings.

From BBC • Jan. 6, 2026

The latter is responsible for, say, successfully navigating a complex intersection as the honker to your left and the merger on your right vie for your attention.

From Slate • Nov. 26, 2025

To achieve honker status, feed at least 3 times per year with organic, high-nitrogen lawn fertilizer.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 24, 2016

Cleveland is quite obvious, and you can expect his honker to stay right in that dark red for the foreseeable future.

From Newsweek • Sep. 16, 2010

This is the honker from Zaire, or maybe its twin sister.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

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.