punky
1 AmericanOther Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of punky1
An Americanism dating back to 1870–75; punk 2 + -y 1
Origin of punky2
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:
Lisbon, a punky explosion of noise from their debut album, gets a rare outing.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
On the opening song, “Luz de Luna,” he gushes about not wanting to miss someone over a heartfelt piano ballad that slips between punky guitar rifts and unpredictable 808 drums.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 10, 2025
However a more reflective and melodic sound emerged, with 2002 release The Remote Part making Idlewild known as much for poetic lyricism as much as punky energy.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2025
With 18 million views on YouTube, the punky boom-bap “Duh!” from its eponymous release barely had a chance to cool when they announced their latest album ‘‘Ex,” which they released last Friday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2025
I got excited because there were some punky eighties-looking bands.
From "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia C. Pérez
Here’s McVie, as a songwriter, doing her best Lindsey Buckingham, rising to her bandmate’s challenge of bringing a punkier edge to the band’s sprawling 1979 double album “Tusk.”
From New York Times ● Nov. 30, 2022
During the cruise, he sat in with multiple acts, from Cantrell to the punkier Waco Brothers.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 11, 2022
They preferred the punkier numbers, like “Even the Losers” and “Refugee,” to the Byrds-ier T.P.
From The New Yorker ● Nov. 13, 2015
On the former, there's Nancy Whang, punkier and less polished than Ware, acting all cool and untouchable – as is her forte – before unexpectedly and gloriously blossoming into a loved-up chorus.
From The Guardian ● May 2, 2013
A punkier version of a song I’d heard before started to play over the coffee shop’s speakers.
From "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia C. Pérez
A charming mini-dress from 2000 by Miguel Adrover, known for redesigning salvaged garments, may be the punkiest postpunk garment in the whole show.
From New York Times ● May 9, 2013
Say, wasn't that the punkiest stunt that fellow in black was doin' on the platform?
From Polly of the Circus by Margaret Mayo
For a gallery play, it was the punkiest I ever put up.
From Shorty McCabe by F. Vaux (Francis Vaux) Wilson
"I can believe that," says I. For an auto it was the punkiest ever.
From Side-stepping with Shorty by Sewell Ford
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.
