wonky
1 Americanadjective
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(of a person) shaky, groggy, or unsteady.
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not exactly straight or balanced; off-kilter.
a wonky chair with an uneven leg.
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not working properly; faulty; unreliable.
Something went wonky with my computer.
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That's just odd logic and wonky reasoning.
adjective
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stupid; boring; unattractive.
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relating to, appealing to, or characteristic of a wonk; concerned with minute details of a topic or issue.
a wonky bureaucrat.
adjective
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shaky or unsteady
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not in correct alignment; askew
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liable to break down or develop a fault
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of wonky1
First recorded in 1915–20; perhaps variant of dialectal wanky, equivalent to wank(le) ( Middle English wankel, Old English wancol; see wench) + -y 1
Origin of wonky2
First recorded in 1975–80; wonk ( def. ) + -y 1 ( def. )
Explanation
Things that are wonky are a little bit crooked or wobbly — a table that isn't balanced right, a nose that's a bit out of place. Something that’s wonky isn’t necessarily broken; it’s just slightly “off.” Wonky can also describe something that isn't working correctly, such as an old TV set that shows only one channel, or maybe even your brain after you’ve just pulled an all-nighter. Important: Don't confuse wonky with wonk. A wonk is an extremely studious person, and usually wonks are very far from being wonky (except perhaps in terms of their social skills).
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:
A spirited, wonky discussion of cycling ethics and tactics?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
And he says leave that lip liner until last - it'll just "highlight how wonky your drawing skills are".
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
One battle scene is scored to 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up?” simply as a nod to a He-Man mash-up video that went viral back in 2005, a clash as wonky as it sounds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026
In normal times, in a normal Federal Communications Commission, Anna M. Gomez’s job might be described as wonky.
From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2026
I kept playing, doing my best to let it pour out of me, though there were plenty of wonky and lagging notes.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
That means shoppers could start seeing smaller, wonkier or oddly coloured veg on the shelves in the coming weeks - and sellers and growers say it's still good to eat.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Medical care insurance is also higher, though it is measured in inflation in a wonkier way, essentially by taking a look at an insurance company’s earnings after it has paid out benefits.
From New York Times ● Mar. 12, 2024
On the wonkier side, bond prices have also been falling in tandem with stock prices more often than they used to.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 23, 2023
Over at Ankler, Rushfield’s posts tend to be wonkier, more analytical but with bite.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2022
The debates are an imperfect system, he acknowledged, disadvantaging candidates who are more ruminative, wonkier, slower to the draw, and perhaps privileging woo-woo and bright shiny objects above their due.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 19, 2019
The tavern, known as “Britain’s wonkiest pub” for its slanting walls and floors, was sold to a private developer in July 2023.
From New York Times ● Feb. 27, 2024
Once known as "Britain's wonkiest" inn, the pub was gutted in the blaze on 5 August and then suddenly demolished two days later.
From BBC ● Nov. 11, 2023
Once known as "Britain's wonkiest" inn, it set alight on 5 August, and was then demolished less than 48 hours later.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2023
The much-loved pub near Dudley, once branded Britain's "wonkiest", was knocked down less than 48 hours after a fire ripped through the building.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2023
The last landlord at "Britain's wonkiest pub" said the recent fire and demolition of the building would tarnish memories.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2023
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.
