wonk

[ wongk ]

noun

, Slang.

1. a student who spends much time studying and has little or no social life; grind.
2. a stupid, boring, or unattractive person.
3. a person who studies a subject or issue in an excessively assiduous and thorough manner:

   They’re searching for a policy wonk to lead the economic institute’s think tank.

wonk

/ wɒŋk /

noun

1. informal.
   a person who is obsessively interested in a specified subject

   a foreign policy wonk

Other Words From

• wonk·ish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wonk¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1960–65; of expressive origin; nautical slang wonk “a midshipman,” and Australian slang “white person; gay man” are probably independent formations

Word History and Origins

Origin of wonk¹

C20: of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer is coming off some good weeks of press coverage in which reporters trumpeted his plan for homelessness uncritically and presented him as a low-key policy wonk.

From Voice of San Diego

A few tax wonks predicted that workers who were most likely to struggle financially in old age wouldn’t open the accounts because they couldn’t afford to save.

From ProPublica

Think tanks and nonprofits have published research, and policy wonks have discussed it at conferences.

From Time

Known as a “health care wonk,” Becerra was an original co-sponsor of the Affordable Care Act.

From Washington Post

Policy wonks can talk about history and cite all the studies they want, but for some people, this is not remotely theoretical.

From Time

But if the leader fails to gain acceptance, then the budget details are nothing more than wonk-trivia.

From The Daily Beast

He hired a disaffected ex-Democratic wonk as his top social-policy guy.

From The Daily Beast

He saw a problem, and—as a self-proclaimed “wonk”—immediately moved to solve it.

From The Daily Beast

When did knowing how the federal government works, how the budget works, become impressive for a policy wonk?

From The Daily Beast

But before long, Morgan was ready to get off the wonk and back to the Oval Office.

From The Daily Beast

The notes are moderately high-pitched and resemble "wonk-wonk-wonk."

From Project Gutenberg

It was called the Wank (pronounced Wonk) and was an Armenian monastery, half farm, half stronghold.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• geek
• nerd