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:
At the time, she had only shared two singles from the upcoming project — “Skittles,” an indie-pop tribute to her late first love, and “Ysilandia” a punky guitar ballad featuring fellow Puerto Rican singer Robi.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 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
“Angular, punky, buncha noise stuff,” affirms Menashe, who also played with acclaimed Bloomington-to-L.A. band Triptides starting in 2010.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2025
Sum 41's music has "energy and an attitude to it in a happy, punky way," Sol, who performs alongside Luke Hare and Harry Gray, adds.
From BBC ● Apr. 12, 2024
Just a punky, runty little kid, no Red Sox or Green Sox uniform.
From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli
Boy Harsher’s style, variously described as “coldwave” and “electronic body music,” tends toward the punkier side of synthesizer-driven dance styles.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 11, 2022
They’re underlined by music that expands on all of her guitar-band idioms: growing punkier, more psychedelic, dronier and noisier as the songs demand.
From New York Times ● May 16, 2018
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 Mayo, Margaret
"I can believe that," says I. For an auto it was the punkiest ever.
From Side-stepping with Shorty by Ford, Sewell
For a gallery play, it was the punkiest I ever put up.
From Shorty McCabe by Wilson, F. Vaux (Francis Vaux)
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.
