ˈwäŋ-kē 
ˈwȯŋ-
wonkier; wonkiest
US
: characteristic of, relating to, or suggestive of a wonk: such as
a
: preoccupied with arcane details or procedures in a specialized field
She can get wonky about the economy when she wants to, but what sets her apart is her ability to tell a coherent, populist story about it in a way that other members of her party are either unwilling or unable to do.—
Rebecca Traister
Rebecca Traister
b
: used by or appealing to wonks
… one of those politicians who actually find pleasure in the often-wonky details of public policy.—John Powers
John Powers
wonkiness
noun
won·ky
ˈwäŋ-kē
wonkier; wonkiest
Examples of wonky in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebAmelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2024
The wonky rollout brought back memories of Musk’s glitchy interview with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who launched his primary campaign in a softball interview with the billionaire business mogul.
—Candy Woodall, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2024
In a debate that veered deeply into some wonky agricultural issues, Indiana's three lieutenant governor candidates couldn't resist a few polite political jabs during their first time sharing a stage Tuesday.
—Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Aug. 2024
Except for a small patch of lawn and a wonky concrete terrace at the back of the cottage, there was little garden to speak of, and the house was surrounded by steep paddocks and various agricultural buildings.
—Plum Sykes, Architectural Digest, 6 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wonky 
Adjective
Digging through your hall closet prior to a trip to find that your years-old suitcase has a wonky handle or a broken zipper can be enough of a buzzkill to sour any pre-vacation excitement.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2024
The wonky rollout brought back memories of Musk’s glitchy interview with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who launched his primary campaign in a softball interview with the billionaire business mogul.
—Candy Woodall, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2024
In a debate that veered deeply into some wonky agricultural issues, Indiana's three lieutenant governor candidates couldn't resist a few polite political jabs during their first time sharing a stage Tuesday.
—Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Aug. 2024
Except for a small patch of lawn and a wonky concrete terrace at the back of the cottage, there was little garden to speak of, and the house was surrounded by steep paddocks and various agricultural buildings.
—Plum Sykes, Architectural Digest, 6 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wonky
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wonky.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near wonky
Cite this Entry
“Wonky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wonky. Accessed 7 Sep. 2024.
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