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:
Over 15 years, their LPs have flitted between genres with insouciant musicianship, pulling from punky scuzz, regal soul, krautrock, electro-funk and psychedelia.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 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
"Signed a hundred NDAs but I still say something," she snarls with punky brio over an Oh Mickey drumbeat.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2025
And the untamed, punky energy of People was the only number where the band were really allowed to cut loose.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2025
The steps are made of thick wood, but slick and punky soft where the water has been dripping all these years, and I can feel how it sags under my feet.
From "Freak The Mighty" by Rodman Philbrick
The Monkeys opened with “Four Out of Five,” a new song that owes more to David Bowie than Turner’s punkier early inspirations, foremost of whom is spoken-word performer John Cooper Clarke.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 29, 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
Deerhunter, his band, used to be noisier, sometimes punkier and sometimes more abstract; Atlas Sound, his solo recordings, used to be dronier and spacier.
From New York Times ● Nov. 27, 2011
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
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